Newcastle United have become the first club from outside England's top two divisions to reach the top six in the Premier League since its inception in 1992.

The Magpies, who were relegated from the English top flight last season, beat Manchester United 4-1 at St James' Park on Saturday afternoon and moved up to fifth place in the table.

It was Newcastle's highest-ever finish in the league, with their previous best placing being eighth in 2015.

Manager Rafa Benitez has been credited with turning around the fortunes of the club, which had struggled under former manager Alan Pardew.

"The fans are so excited," Benitez told reporters after the game. "We're going to keep working hard and hopefully we can stay in this position for some time."

The win over Manchester United was also significant as it marked the first time that the two clubs had met each other in the top six of the Premier League.

"It's always good to play against Manchester United, but to be able to beat them is even better," Benitez said.

"We're happy with our performance today and I'm very proud of my players."