With QPR and Reading odds-on for the chop, Stoke could well be the third side playing Championship football next season.
Stoke have picked up only five points since the turn of the year and the 2-0 defeat by Manchester United extended their miserable run to one point from seven games.
If 40pts is the cut-off point, Newcastle need another four points.
13 Newcastle 3614 Norwich 35 15 Sunderland 34 16 Stoke City 34 17 A Villa 34 18 Wigan 31 19 QPR 24 20 Reading 24
That left Pulis' side in 16th, three points clear of 18th-placed Wigan but having played two games more.
Wigan's games in hand are against Man City (a) and Swansea (H).
Pulis: "I've just spoken to the players. It's a five-game season.
"There's eight, maybe nine teams that are in the scrap and we've just got to make sure, no matter what's happened before, the season really starts for us now. I still say 40 points will do it.
"We just haven't had the breaks, and that's what happens in runs like this. The most important thing is that you all stay nice and positive - and it's difficult to do that - and focus.
"What's gone has gone, the important thing is looking to the next game and then the next game."
PREMIER LEAGUE BATTLETuesday 16 April 2013 19:45 Arsenal v Everton Emirates Stadium
Wednesday 17 April 2013 19:45 Man City v Wigan Etihad Stadium 19:45 West Ham v Man Utd Boleyn Ground Saturday 20 April 2013 15:00 Fulham v Arsenal Craven Cottage 15:00 Norwich v Reading Carrow Road 15:00 QPR v Stoke Loftus Road Stadium 15:00 Sunderland v Everton Stadium of Light 15:00 Swansea v Southampton Liberty Stadium 15:00 West Brom v Newcastle The Hawthorns 15:00 West Ham v Wigan Boleyn Ground
Sunday 21 April 2013 13:30 Tottenham v Man City White Hart Lane 16:00 Liverpool v Chelsea Anfield
Monday 22 April 2013 20:00 Man Utd v Aston Villa Old Trafford
Saturday 27 April 2013 12:45 Man City v West Ham Etihad Stadium 15:00 Chelsea v Swansea Stamford Bridge 15:00 Everton v Fulham Goodison Park 15:00 Southampton v West Brom St. Mary's Stadium 15:00 Stoke v Norwich Britannia Stadium 15:00 Wigan v Tottenham The DW Stadium 17:30 Newcastle v Liverpool St James' Park
Sunday 28 April 2013 13:30 Reading v QPR Madejski Stadium 16:00 Arsenal v Man Utd Emirates Stadium
Monday 29 April 2013 20:00 Aston Villa v Sunderland Villa Park
Saturday 4 May 2013 15:00 Fulham v Reading Craven Cottage 15:00 Liverpool v Everton Anfield 15:00 Man Utd v Chelsea Old Trafford 15:00 Norwich v Aston Villa Carrow Road 15:00 QPR v Arsenal Loftus Road Stadium 15:00 Sunderland v Stoke Stadium of Light 15:00 Swansea v Man City Liberty Stadium 15:00 Tottenham v Southampton White Hart Lane 15:00 West Brom v Wigan The Hawthorns 15:00 West Ham v Newcastle Boleyn Ground
Tuesday 7 May 2013 19:45 Wigan v Swansea The DW Stadium
Sunday 12 May 2013 15:00 Arsenal v Wigan Emirates Stadium 15:00 Aston Villa v Chelsea Villa Park 15:00 Everton v West Ham Goodison Park 15:00 Fulham v Liverpool Craven Cottage 15:00 Man Utd v Swansea Old Trafford 15:00 Norwich v West Brom Carrow Road 15:00 QPR v Newcastle Loftus Road Stadium 15:00 Reading v Man City Madejski Stadium 15:00 Stoke v Tottenham Britannia Stadium 15:00 Sunderland v Southampton Stadium of Light
Sunday 19 May 2013 16:00 Chelsea v Everton Stamford Bridge 16:00 Liverpool v QPR Anfield 16:00 Man City v Norwich Etihad Stadium 16:00 Newcastle v Arsenal St James' Park 16:00 Southampton v Stoke St. Mary's Stadium 16:00 Swansea v Fulham Liberty Stadium 16:00 Tottenham v Sunderland White Hart Lane 16:00 West Brom v Man Utd The Hawthorns 16:00 West Ham v Reading Boleyn Ground 16:00 Wigan v Aston Villa The DW Stadium
Source: Newcastle United Mad
Source: FOOTYMAD
