Newcastle returned to the top of the Championship at the weekend courtesy of a hard-fought 2-1 win at Brentford.

The Magpies took advantage of Brighton’s surprise defeat at Preston to reclaim top spot in the division, with goals from Dwight Gayle and Daryl Murphy cancelling out Lasse Vibe’s second half equaliser for the Bees.

It means that Rafa Benitez’s men move a point clear of the Seagulls at the summit, and will have their eyes firmly set on an immediate return to the Premier League.

However, they turn their attentions away from league matters this week, as they host Birmingham City in an FA Cup third round replay on Wednesday night (7.45pm kick-off).

The two sides drew 1-1 at St Andrew’s a few weeks ago, with Lukas Jutkiewicz’s 42nd minute strike enough to secure a replay after Murphy gave Newcastle the lead.

Nonetheless, both sides will be hopeful of making it into the fourth round, although Benitez’s side will go in as favourites having lost just four times at home this season.

With the January transfer window will underway, the Newcastle boss consider some reinforcements ahead of their promotion push in the second half of the season, and thus could let a few players leave to make room for new additions.

Thus, here are TWO Newcastle players who must leave the club this month for their own good…

Achraf Lazaar

Achraf Lazaar was brought to Newcastle over the summer and is clearly a talented player, yet he has found opportunities hard to come by this season.

The Moroccan international, who missed out on a place in his country’s African Cup of Nations squad this month, has been playing second fiddle to Paul Dummett this season, and has thus been restricted to just five appearances.

Two of which have been starts, both in the domestic cup competitions, yet his three other appearances have come off the bench in the Championship, and total a measly 21 minutes on the pitch.

Thus, the 24-year-old could consider a loan move away from St James’ Park in the second half of the season in a bid to get more regular first team football.

Cheick Tiote

Cheick Tiote established himself as a regular at Newcastle back in 2010, helped by several impressive displays, and indeed that memorable long-range stunner to help the Magpies draw 4-4 with Arsenal in February 2011.

However, his career in the North East has somewhat nosedived in recent years, and it’s now just a matter of time before he ends his seven-year spell at St James’ Park.

And that time should be this month.

The 30-year-old midfielder is not the player he was, and is clearly nowhere near Benitez’s first team plans, given that the Ivorian international has played just 80 minutes of football this season, only 15 of which have come in the Championship.

Although he started the draw with Birmingham in the FA Cup ten days ago, Tiote’s time at Newcastle is up, and for the benefit of both him and the club, he should move on this month, with Sporting Gijon looking the likely destination.