Norwich City's Premier League survival hopes were handed a boost on Monday when rivals Newcastle United were beaten in their first game under Rafael Benitez.

The Magpies turned in an improved performance for their new boss at leaders Leicester but still emerged empty-handed as a brilliant overhead kick from Shinji Okazaki condemned them to a 1-0 defeat at the King Power Stadium.

Newcastle remain a point behind the Canaries as a result of the setback, with now just one game in hand, and City boss Alex Neil is in no doubt his side have the advantage in the relegation stakes, with both Newcastle and Sunderland visiting Carrow Road over the run-in.

'We've got it in our own hands, we've got the two relegation rivals to come here. If we can put on a performance and make sure we win those two games it gives us a strong position to go from,' he said.

'They are big games but it gives us an advantage that we have two rivals coming to our place and it is about what we do.

'Looking at the table, they seem to be the three teams involved in it now and at the moment we just want to try and be above the teams in and about us, and the other two teams that are there just now.'

Norwich City picked up only a second point in the last 30 with a battling 0-0 draw against Manchester City but Neil insists the mood had remained upbeat.

'It is not doom and gloom in our camp, outside it might be a bit different,' he said. 'In our changing room and in our squad we are determined and we have boys who want to fight. It is their livelihoods, apart from anything else, and they will fight tooth and nail for what they have got.'