Saturday 16 December 2017 20:29, UK
Rafa Benitez again stressed the need for January signings after Newcastle's winless run stretched to nine games at Arsenal.
The Magpies battled and frustrated the Gunners at the Emirates but Mesut Ozil's sumptuous volley sealed a 1-0 win to prolong the visitors' turgid run in the Premier League.
With takeover talks at the club continuing, Benitez was asked how he will guide Newcastle out of their recent rut, to which he told Sky Sports: "We will keep working harder and improve little things that have to change.
"Hopefully we can bring a few additions in January that will give us a lift and the team will have more balance. We have an idea [what we can do in January]. We have to talk.
"I was talking with Lee Charnley, the managing director, and we know more or less what we have. We just have to be sure we have the options and see if they are possible because sometimes January is very difficult."
Newcastle are now in the midst of their longest winless run since May 2015 when they went 10 games with a victory.
Saturday's result also left Benitez without a victory away at Arsenal in seven attempts, but it was not for the want of trying, according to the Spaniard, who blamed misfortune for the defeat.
"It's frustrating [not to get anything from the game]," he added. "We were pushing and working so hard, especially in the second half. It's a pity.
"Sometimes you need a little bit of luck, sometimes it's the final decision. When you play against a good team they scored a great goal and after that had a couple of chances, but we were still in the game, still we were competing.
"We've had these situations in the last two or three games, losing to one goal, but at the same time you can see the reaction of the players and the effort they put on the pitch - that's the positive thing.
"If we continue doing that I am confident we will have games like today where we are luckier, score goal and win.
"We had two or three chances, the [Ayoze Perez] header and Joselu's deflected shot, but at this time things are against us so we have to work harder to make things change.
"We are learning, it's a learning process we must do quickly if we are to get results now, but it's a long, long season.
"We have to make sure we continue working at this level and get chances to win these games. Things will be different because the distance is not too big in the table."
