RAFAEL BENITEZ claims Newcastle United’s 4-1 defeat at Old Trafford exposed the vast financial gulf that currently separates them from Manchester United.

The Magpies crashed to their heaviest defeat of the season despite taking the lead through Dwight Gayle’s first-half strike.

Manchester United roared back through goals from Anthony Martial, Chris Smalling, Paul Pogba and Romelu Lukaku, and while Newcastle were the better side for the opening 30 minutes, they were eventually well beaten.

Benitez was proud of his players’ efforts in the first half, but felt their eventual capitulation was an inevitable consequence of the different financial plane on which they are operating.

While Newcastle spent around £40m this summer, Manchester United splashed out more than £140m on their summer signings, having broken the British transfer record to land Pogba 12 months earlier.

“I think it is a very simple analysis,” said Benitez. “It was a very good first 30 minutes and everything was great. We were working hard, we had a clear idea of what to do and we were doing well.

“But then we conceded a goal, and the second goal made a big difference in terms of the mentality. We had the chance through (Isaac) Hayden but couldn’t score, and we lost the belief we had in the first half.

“We couldn’t keep the belief after the (second) goal, and then they scored a third goal too. Then it was a different game, but I’m really pleased and proud of my players in the first 30 minutes. Then after, if you pay big money for players, they can make the difference.

“You could see the difference in terms of the money spent. But it’s not as if we didn’t know that, we knew. There was a big difference in that respect between the two teams, but I was really pleased with the first 30 minutes.”

The game’s crucial spell came at the end of the first half, with Smalling heading home Manchester United’s second goal moments before Hayden missed a great opportunity to level things up at the other end.

Smalling out-jumped Javier Manquillo to head home Ashley Young’s cross, and Newcastle’s defensive lapse proved crucial.

“We had a couple of good chances in the first half on the counter-attack, but couldn’t score,”said Benitez. “We were quite strong physically and technically, but to concede the second goal in the way we did and not to score with the chances we had made it more difficult to cope in the second half and have the same belief. But we tried. We conceded the third goal, and that is a big difference against this team.”

Manchester United’s win keeps them in second position in the table, eight points league leaders Manchester City, and while Benitez is not too concerned about the battle at the top end of the table, he expects the title race to feature a few twists and turns.

“I’m not really worried about that (who wins the title), I am worried about getting points for Newcastle United,” he said. “They are both very good teams and they are both doing well.

“They have very good players and they will be there. We will see what happens because it is a very long race. For us, the main thing is to take the positives of the first half and try to build from that.”