Newcastle United defender Steven Taylor regards former Arsenal captain Tony Adams as his role-model.

He told The Sun: "Tony Adams was important to me during my early career and what he taught me is now what we are trying to do at Newcastle.

"He told me when he was at Arsenal under George Graham, shape work was all they did. It may sound boring but defensively that is how you have to be. I am not saying we are going to be the new Arsenal but we are having similar training and looking to be like that at the back.

"Tony really helped me a lot. He told me to be no-nonsense. If you are in trouble kick it out. He taught me a lot and I won't forget it. Just look at the Arsenal defence at their best. Keown, Bould, Dixon, Adams. They consistently played as a unit while at Newcastle it has changed all the time.

"I haven't spoken to him recently but he has sent me up an England shirt before which was nice. We are sticking together more as a unit, working on our shape and Colin Calderwood being a centre-half has helped me a lot.

"He knows the game, has been there and done it. He took no prisoners as a player."