Newcastle United manager Alan Pardew is well aware his side faces an enormous task to qualify for European football for next season.

The Magpies currently sit sixth on the Premier League table with 10 matches remaining but have Liverpool breathing down their neck as they look to remain in their current position or finish even higher.

Pardew suggests that the final few months of the campaign will prove to be difficult but says the team will have to be well up for the task ahead.

"It's tough to get into Europe. You have got a team with the finance and quality of Liverpool who could run us down," he said.

"We will have to hold our hands up if that happens, but we are going to give them a good fight for their money.

"We are definitely focusing on Europe now, make no mistake about that, we have got ourselves into that position.

"But Alex Ferguson will tell you the last 10 games are the most important ones and we are in them now, so we will see how we get on."

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