Newcastle United captain Jamaal Lascelles has stated that he wants the Magpies to remain the top club on the north-east for the foreseeable future.

With Newcastle earning promotion into the Premier League and Sunderland suffering relegation from the top flight last season, the Magpies are currently top dogs in the north-East and club captain of the Tyneside based outfit Lascelles has stated his desire to keep things that way.

Lascelles told the Chronicle: "It is a very nice feeling. Now we have the chance to really put a foothold down and say: 'We're the best team in the North-East'.

"We are at the moment where we have a chance to show what we can do and as players, the onus is on us to make sure we do the job - and we keep giving the fans what they want and expect."