Newcastle United manager Rafa Benitez believes that Fulham won't park the bus when they visit St James' Park on Saturday, and that this is the game they have to approach properly.

Slavisa Jokanovic's team have a reputation for their attacking brand of football, a style that has seen them rise up the table to seventh with only Saturday's opponents and Brighton having lost more games than them.

Teams that have visited St James' Park this season have tended to sit back and defend, and although Jokanovic admits they may not have as much possession as they usually do, they will still play their free-flowing style of football.

And ahead of the game, Benitez has been speaking highly of the Cottagers and believes this game will be an extremely difficult tie.

He said: "They will not park the bus. They are doing well because they are an attacking team – and they will try to attack. Sometimes you can start a little bit higher or deeper but it is an attacking team – that is very clear.

"It will be a challenge for us. Jokanovic is doing a great job, and we know it will be a tough game.

"People were thinking that our last three games (at Brighton, Huddersfield Town and Reading) were very dangerous, but we were talking about four – and Birmingham (City, next Saturday) will obviously be difficult – but especially this one.

"This is the one we have to be sure we approach properly."