Redknapp: Magpies hold the aces

Harry Redknapp admits Newcastle can play without any pressure until the end of the season after watching the Magpies seize the initiative in the hunt for Champions League qualification yesterday.

Tottenham’s dreadful form sunk to a new low this weekend when they suffered yet another defeat, 1-0 at the hands of 10-man QPR.

Newcastle, meanwhile, strolled to their sixth straight Barclays Premier League win against Stoke to move three points clear of Tottenham, who now find themselves out of the top four for the first time since November.

Having kept pace with the league’s pace-setters for much of the season, Spurs are now facing the dismal possibility that they will not play Champions League football next season.

Newcastle, who have not qualified for the competition since 2003, still have Chelsea and Manchester City to play in their remaining four games, but Redknapp believes Alan Pardew’s men will not be intimidated by their run-in.

“I don’t think there is any pressure on Newcastle,” the Tottenham manager said.

“What Alan has done there is fantastic, it’s a miracle really. To get them in the position they’re in has been a great achievement.

“They can relax and play. No-one expected them to be anywhere near where they are. You have to give them credit for what they have done.

“They do look good at the moment. They have three fantastic forwards and they are playing very well.”

Tottenham put in one of their worst performances of the season yesterday at Loftus Road, where Adel Taarabt came back to haunt his former club by hitting a match-winning free-kick in the first half.

The Moroccan’s evening ended on a disappointing note when he received a second yellow for kicking the ball away, but there was no doubt that the home side deserved all three points.

The north London club were shaky in defence and lacked creativity and energy going forward.

Redknapp’s task was made harder by the absence of Louis Saha, Emmanuel Adebayor, Younes Kaboul and Ryan Nelsen through injury and hopes to have more players available for Sunday’s home game against Blackburn.

“We had to play perfect football to open them up because we were a tiny little team. I only had one fit striker – Jermain Defoe,” Redknapp added.

“We weren’t going to play the ball down the side and cross it for someone to head in. Everything had to be on the floor, everything had to be perfect.

“I had no Adebayor, no Saha. I had no cover in defence because Younes is out and Ryan Nelsen got an injury in training yesterday.

“I’m hoping Ade should be fit for next week. That will give us another option.”

QPR, meanwhile, are now three points above the relegation zone after securing their fourth straight home win.

Many predicted Rangers would be relegated given their difficult run-in, but having seen off Arsenal, Liverpool and Spurs, Mark Hughes firmly believes his team will avoid the drop this summer.

“We have done ourselves the power of good today,” the QPR boss said.

“It’s not just the manner of the win that’s important, it’s the belief from what has happened today that’s important too.

“That can only help us. We will take what we have done today and allow that to drive us on to bigger and better things in the three remaining games.”

Hughes has challenged his team to take their excellent home form on the road with them when they travel to Chelsea next weekend.

“The disappointment is obviously that we have not been able to replicate that away from home but we will obviously dust ourselves down and get ready to go again now,” Hughes added.

“It’s a huge game against Chelsea. They are our local rivals and if we are going to turn our away form around then what better place to do it than at Stamford Bridge.”