Rafael Benitez has warned his Newcastle players to beware a Burnley backlash as the Magpies aim to make it three straight Premier League wins at Turf Moor on Monday.

In contrast to last season's heroics the Clarets have endured a miserable campaign to date and go into the game below their opponents on goal difference after five without a win.

But Benitez shrugged off suggestions that Burnley's Europa League campaign could have hindered their form and believes Sean Dyche's men are better than the league table suggests.

Benitez said: "I have had this experience (of Europe) and it is quite difficult to manage, but you have to adapt.

"Burnley are a strong team at home and maybe it because they have had a difficult run against some top teams.

"Sean Dyche did a great job last season and I think he is quite a strong character. They will want to get three points against us because we are close in the table and the pressure is more or less the same."

Benitez will be without defender Paul Dummett for the trip to Turf Moor after he suffered a hamstring strain on international duty which could rule him out for a longer period.

And he was spending the weekend running the rule over captain Jamaal Lascelles, Jonjo Shelvey and Yoshinori Muto, all of whom were hoping to recover from knocks in time to feature.

Monday night's game is a pivotal one for the Magpies, for whom a win would lift them further clear of the relegation zone with a distinctly favourable run-up to Christmas ahead.

But slipping to another defeat would see the pressure restored at St James's Park, with that healthy-looking run ahead suddenly taking on the theme of a series of pivotal relegation scraps.

And Benitez knows his side will be faced with a very different test on Monday to the one provided by Bournemouth, whom his side beat 2-1 to go into the international break on a high.

"Burnley are physically stronger and I think it will be a very different test," added Benitez.

"I'm sure it will be enough because of the way they played against us last season, and I think it will be similar to this one."