Shearer confident Magpies will pull through

Newcastle manager Alan Shearer is confident that his struggling side can avoid relegation from the Premier League...

Newcastle manager Alan Shearer is confident that his struggling side can avoid relegation from the Premier League this weekend when the Magpies take on fifth-place Aston Villa.

Shearer,who took over last month,needs his team to at least avoid defeat on Sunday and for the results of fellow strugglers Hull and Sunderland to go his way if Newcastle are to stay in the top-flight. We know whats at stake,we know whats riding on it and I am pretty confident we can go there and give our great fans something to shout about, Shearer said on Friday. I am totally convinced we will get out of it and I think,more importantly,so are my players.

Shearers optimism contrasts with the fact that Newcastle have only one victory in their last 12 league games and are coming off a 1-0 defeat by Fulham last Saturday. I asked them to forget last weekends result,whether we thought we played well or whether we thought we played badly or had good decisions,bad decisions, said Shearer,a former Newcastle striker and fan favorite.

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Thats gone,we cant change that. What we can change is this weekend and I believe if we go there and win,it will be a very good day for us.

Four in trouble

There are four candidates for the drop,two of whom will join West Bromwich Albion,already condemned to Championship football next season. Middlesbrough have 32 points and Newcastle are on 34. They seek to leapfrog the two currently safe clubs,Hull with 35 and Sunderland on 36.

Whats giving Newcastle further hope is that Hulls next opponents are Manchester United,although the champions are expected to field a second-string side as they prepare for next Wednesdays Champions League final against Barcelona in Rome.

Sunderland also have a tough task at home to FA Cup finalist Chelsea.

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At the other end of the table,Liverpool need only a draw at home to Tottenham to be sure of finishing second behind Man United but ahead of Chelsea. Anfield will bid farewell to defender Sami Hyypia,who helped Liverpool win a string of domestic and European trophies in a 10-year stint with the club. He has signed a two-year deal with German club Bayer Leverkusen. Fourth-place Arsenal host Stoke City.