Magpies must be ruthless

NEWCASTLE captain Alan Shearer has warned his team-mates they will have to be ruthless if they are to achieve their Champions league dream.

The 33-year-old turned in a typically uncompromising display at Old Trafford on Sunday as his side claimed a deserved point against Manchester United with a rugged all-round performance.

They might even have snatched victory had match referee Paul Durkin spotted goalkeeper Tim Howard's first-half foul on Shearer an error the official owned up to after the match.

The point was the Magpies' first at Old Trafford since 1998 and left them seventh in the Premiership, four points adrift of fourth-placed Charlton.

"We hope to finish fourth, but there are other teams in exactly the same position as we are," admitted Shearer.

"Liverpool are getting criticised for having a poor season, but they are above us and they're getting one or two of their players back now.

"If you were a betting man, you would put money on ourselves or Liverpool to finish in that position, but the other teams around us will have something to say about that.

"We have to make sure it is us who finish there and no-one else."

Newcastle have now lost only twice in 15 Premiership outings, a 5-0 drubbing at Chelsea and a 1-0 home defeat by Blackburn on December 28.

Fifth-placed Fulham provide the opposition at St James' Park on Monday night, a fixture which gives Sir Bobby Robson's men an opportunity to overhaul of one of the candidates for that all-important Champions League spot.

Goalkeeper Shay Given, who has kept three successive clean sheets and has conceded only four goals in his last 11 games in all competitions, knows that his side face a fight, but believes that the character they showed at Old Trafford will serve them well.

"We were looking for the win which could have pushed us a bit nearer fourth place, but we have to lick our wounds and get on with it," he said.

"We picked up a point and I guess a lot of people wouldn't have expected us to get anything from the game.

"We came here last year, scored three times, conceded five and never looked like winning the game.

"We are a lot more solid and we made it difficult for them. A draw was a fair result.

"It's going to be tough to get into fourth place.

"Liverpool are a point or two ahead of us with a game in hand, so they are pushing hard. Charlton and Fulham are also up there.

"But there is a lot of football to be played yet. We have to keep working hard, hopefully we will get there."

Robson, who had seen his side concede 16 goals in their last four meetings with United, was delighted with both the performance and the result which, after an unfortunate 3-2 reverse at Arsenal earlier in the season and the horror show at Stamford Bridge, showed that they can go to the toughest venues and return home with something to show for their efforts.

"It was a test game for us because we go to Liverpool in a similar game in two weeks' time," he said.

"If we can do well at Old Trafford, we shouldn't be afraid to go to Liverpool in the FA Cup. That will give the lads a lot of confidence."