Source: Northern_Echo
Simpson targets two wins
FOUR matches without a win have left Newcastle United staring up at the Premier League's top ten again, but Danny Simpson thinks winning their two remaining home games can make up for the slump.[LNB] Newcastle dropped to 12th after Sunday's 3-0 defeat to Liverpool on the back of draws with Blackpool and Manchester United, and a loss at Aston Villa.[LNB] But with six points still separating the Magpies from the bottom three, Simpson feels the players have every right to be concentrating on those above them, rather than the bottom three.[LNB] Birmingham City, two points above the relegation zone, are next at St James' Park on Saturday before a trip to Chelsea is followed by a season finale with West Brom on Tyneside soil.[LNB] We've got two massive home games now because we always knew Liverpool away would be tough, and Chelsea away, said Simpson. But we've got Birmingham at home and with our fans and our results at home, we've got to look forward to performing.[LNB] The last few home games have been all right but we've got two more to go and they are winnable.[LNB] I'm sure our fans expect us to win them. The manager's said we've got to train hard this week and make sure we do win.'' Despite Newcastle's failure to win since the visit of Wolves a month ago, they are still level with Sunderland on points and sit a couple of places above them on goal difference.[LNB] I'm not too sure if we are bothered, but I think we might have the better games, said Simpson. It's important for the fans, I know that. They're happy we stayed up and the next thing is they want to finish higher than them.[LNB] We want to finish as high as we can and we've got two games at home where we feel we can take points. If we do that, we will finish above them.[LNB] There were spells at Anfield on Sunday when Newcastle looked as if they would claim something. But a failure to equalise, particularly Joey Barton's back post miss seconds after halftime, opened the door for Liverpool.[LNB] A Dirk Kuyt penalty and cool Luis Suarez finish built on the tenth minute lead given to the Reds by Maxi Rodriguez's volley, which deflected off Simpson and beat goalkeeper Tim Krul.[LNB] Liverpool's confident display under Kenny Dalglish was different to that which Roy Hodgson took charge of in December, when Newcastle won 3-1 at St James' Park.[LNB] Look at the confidence from when we played them then, said Simpson. They looked like a completely different team. I don't even think they knew what it was about when they played us (at St James') and we attacked them and got on top.[LNB] We tried to do that again but they had the confidence from recent results to deal with it.[LNB] Simpson conceded that bad breaks of luck influenced things at Anfield, but he also admitted that mistakes also cost them dearly.[LNB] The right-back said: Even the first goal was disappointing the header has dropped into the box for a free shot. It happened to hit me but it could have been anyone.[LNB] There's been a few goals like that this season where the keeper was going to save it but it's hit the defender and gone in. I'm sure Tim would have saved it if it hadn't hit me.[LNB] I stuck my leg out, it hit me and went in. In the second half we started OK with Joey's chance, but Mike Williamson's held his hand up, he was beaten for pace."[LNB]
