Newcastle United boss Alan Pardew admits anything but a top six finish will be a disappointment.

Pardew believes finishing just outside the European berths could hardly be regarded as failure.

Asked if he would be disappointed if they did not make it, he said: "No, no, because if you look at Liverpool's run-in, it's definitely favourable to ours, and their squad is bigger, so I still think they are in the box seat for that position.

"I would be very disappointed if we finished below eighth, for sure. Top eight, seventh, sixth...

"Sixth is Europe and there's a great chance of that, and we want to try to take it."