Newcastle’s star midfielder Georginio Wijnaldum has warned his United teammates that they cannot afford to become complacent after moving out of the Premier League relegation zone.
Outstanding back-to-back victories over Liverpool and Tottenham have catapulted Newcastle out of the drop zone and up to 15th place in the table, relieving the intense pressure that was beginning to mount on head coach Steve McClaren.
Although the Tynesiders failed to register a single victory in their first eight league games this season, they have significantly improved over the past two months – picking up four wins from their last eight.
The Magpies have a gilt-edged opportunity to put some daylight between themselves and the bottom three when they face 20th placed Aston Villa at St James’ Park this weekend.
However, ahead of Saturday’s showdown with Remi Garde’s stricken Villains, Wijnaldum has warned that Newcastle’s current upturn in form will only continue if they maintain their recent standards.
Speaking to Sky Sports, the former PSV captain said:
“That’s what we have to show, that we have turned a corner, because now we have won two times in a row we want to win a lot more. But we still must work hard and put in a good performance to win games.
“You can’t think if you win two times that ‘everything has changed’ because we still have to work hard and show that we are better than before.”
One man who has played a prominent role in the Magpies’ mini-revival is Republic of Ireland goalkeeper Rob Elliot.
The 29-year-old stopper has performed magnificently since Newcastle No 1 Tim Krul suffered a season-ending knee injury whilst on international duty in October, and Elliot is determined to continue making the most of his unexpected opportunity to tend the United net:
“It’s been really good. I maybe thought it wouldn’t have happened at the start of the season, but that’s football for you.
“Swings and roundabouts happen all the time and if you get an opportunity you have just got to take it and enjoy it.
I think that is all I have tried to do, play with a smile on my face and just appreciate playing for a club like Newcastle, because sometimes that gets lost with all the storm that comes around being a Newcastle player. Sometimes it’s just great to walk out in front of 52,000 and play football.
