Newcastle United captain Michael Owen accepts they're in a "relegation scrap".

"There's no denying that we're in the middle of the relegation scrap, but myself and the lads have no doubt in our minds that we have enough quality to pull clear," he told the club's website.

"However, this is now the time when we have to stand up and be counted - just like we did last year, when we put together a very good seven-match unbeaten run.

"That sort of sequence is well within our capabilities, and while we have some tough home fixtures in a row, which started against Manchester United and continues with Arsenal and Chelsea, it is the other games against teams around us that are going to be most significant."