Newcastle United fullback Danny Simpson admits they've surprised themselves this season.

Simpson admits their league position has caught Alan Pardew's squad by surprise, but has warned they cannot afford to lose focus if they are to finish the job.

"We don't want to get sucked into the Champions League talk yet. It's nice to know people are saying that but there's a long way to go yet," he said.

"To be in the mix with the likes of Arsenal, Chelsea and Tottenham, and above Liverpool, is fantastic for the club. If we can get another three points on Monday, we will have a great chance.

"If you had said we would be this high at the start of the season you'd probably laugh because we had so many new players and you don't know how long it will take for them to settle in.

"But every one of them has settled in and everyone is hitting form at the right time and we're getting stronger and stronger."