Newcastle United goal keeper, Tim Krul believes that it is imperative for his side to beat Wigan Athletic and Stoke City in their next two games, in order to challenge for a top four finish this season.
The Magpies will go head-to-head against the Potters at the Sports Direct Arena on Saturday, and will visit DW Stadium a week later to take on an in-form Wigan. They beat http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Tony-c35440 Pulis’ side 3-1 at the Britannia Stadium in the first half of the season, in a
game which saw striker http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Demba-Ba-c10812 score a hat-trick.
Currently, http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Alan-c4244 Pardew’s side lie at the fifth place in the league table and are tied on points with Tottenham Hotspur. However, the Magpies have been the better of the two teams lately, in terms of recent results. While the Spurs have only managed a single
win in their last eight games, the Toon have been in sublime form, winning all of their previous five games.
Newcastle will qualify for the Europa League next season, by finishing the Premier League in the top six, after http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Everton-c13019 in the semi-final of the FA Cup. However, Krul admitted that his side have set far-reaching aims and will go all-out to
finish ahead of http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Chelsea-c38786 and Tottenham in the table.
The 24-year-old Holland international told the Journal: "What an opportunity we have got. Things are going great at the moment.”
"I have been saying for years that I think Newcastle are a top-six side and maybe people didn't see it. But now we are there, and hopefully we can stay there.”
The Magpies have got a difficult run-in to the season and are scheduled to play three tough games in the space of two weeks in May. They will visit Stamford Bridge on the 2nd of May to face off against Chelsea. Four days later, they will host
title contenders, Manchester City. Their season will culminate on an away game against Everton, on the 13th of May.
However, the Newcastle shot-stopper thinks that his side will be in the driving seat to finish in the top four, if they are able to achieve maximum points out of their next two games.
"We are up there, but if you don't win against Stoke and Wigan, you don't deserve to be up there," he added.
"We just need to keep the pressure on the top teams. Stoke at home and Wigan away are massive games for us."
Stoke City will go into the game against Newcastle having won just a single match in their last six outings. However, the Magpies have got an intriguing contest against http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Arsenal-c38429 and Manchester United in
their last two games.
Tags: