Andros Townsend: Newcastle must take last five games by the scruff of the neck
Rafael Benitez’s men went into the weekend six points adrift of safety, but emerged having rekindled their hopes of pulling off a great escape after derby rivals and fellow relegation candidates Sunderland did both a favour by winning at Norwich before the Magpies secured a 3-0 home victory over Swansea.
The likelihood is still that two of the three clubs which currently occupy 17th, 18th and 19th places in the table will join relegated Aston Villa in next season’s Championship, but victory over Manchester City — a big ask at the best of times — in their game in hand on the Canaries would lift Newcastle out of the drop zone and increase belief that they can yet survive.
