Roeder targets top-10 finish

Newcastle head for Reading tonight knowing the best they can hope for from a another season of trials and tribulations is a 10th-place Barclays Premiership finish.

Even victories in their last three games – against the Royals, Blackburn and Watford, will leave them on 51 points, the total Steve Coppell’s promoted side has already gathered.

Reading’s superior goal difference means, barring a miracle, they will finish ahead of the Magpies in their first season in the Premiership, and that is a graphic illustration of the problems Newcastle have faced during an eventful campaign.

Glenn Roeder’s side cannot automatically claim the Intertoto Cup place they set as their minimum requirement at the start of the season, and will now have to rely on other clubs not taking up the option to play in the competition.

However, Roeder will target a maximum nine-point haul regardless as he looks to build upon last weekend’s creditable draw with champions Chelsea and provide a positive ending to a disappointing season.

He said: “We want to finish the season with three wins if we can anyway, whether the Intertoto Cup is at stake or not.

“But the fact of the matter is we probably will have to get into the Intertoto.”

Reading have more than made a fist of life in the top flight after emerging from the Coca-Cola Championship last season as runaway champions with a record 106 points.

European qualification is still a possibility, and that would be a remarkable achievement for a club which has surprised many people this season, if not Roeder.

He said: “Most teams who come up from the Championship do tend to struggle, but they were runaway winners.

“They gathered over 100 points, so to me personally, it has not been a surprise.

“The manager is top drawer. Steve Coppell, wherever he has gone, whatever level he has worked at, he has done very well, so I am not surprised Reading have done as well as they have.

“They had a great result in their last game up at Bolton. It is a tough game, but we are looking forward to it.

“Again, it is one of those games in which, this season, Newcastle have not done as well as they should do.

“I will be looking for the Sheffield United type of performance and result that we had just recently.”

Newcastle turned in a gritty display at Bramall Lane, but still needed a late Steven Taylor winner to claim only their fourth away win in the league.

They won the reverse fixture of tonight’s game at St James’ Park in December 3-2 with Emre’s late winner seeing them home after a James Harper double had put the visitors 2-1 ahead.

Roeder had neither £17m (€24.9m) striker Michael Owen nor Shola Ameobi at his disposal that night, but could have both in the 16 tonight following their returns from long-term injury.