Ipswich held you to a 2-2 draw at St James' Park on Saturday. Do you have any regrets considering Shearer missed a penalty in the dying seconds of the game? 

Of course because we missed a golden opportunity. But before that, we had many chances to win it with some good stops and saves being made, we should have won it earlier on. Concerning the league, we have now distanced ourselves from the three above us. We really must win the next league game to restart our season. Before that though, we have to go and play Arsenal in the replay of the FA Cup quarter final.

Were the two conceded goals unavoidable?

We did have a problem in central defence concerning the two goals, but on the other hand, we weren't too creative up front either. We can't start to point the finger and criticise the errors of the defenders. Every one of us was responsible.

You weren't conceding these types of goals at the beginning of the season, is there any doubt starting to set in at Newcastle?

No, I don't think so. It was simply a lack of concentration. If we would have won it, nobody would have said anything about the two conceded goals.

Do you consider the two goals scored a positive point for you?

It's true that it's been a while since we scored more than one goal in a game, but then again, it didn't allow us the three points though.

You scored the first goal with a perfectly measured free kick, and you set Shearer up with the second. Add this to the goal you scored against Arsenal last week and you are really playing on form at the moment.

I've been playing good for a little while now and I'm working hard. I really want to finish the season well. It's important to score some goals and make the decisive pass for my club.

Why didn't you take the penalty?

It's still Shearer's job to take the penalties. I would have taken it with pleasure, but it's absolutely no problem at all. His miss didn't help our cause, but it would have helped us a lot if he'd scored.

Chelsea are coming up strongly, with only three points behind you, how are you going to manage until the end of the season?

In our position now, we can't look behind us. We have to concentrate on our play and our qualities. And those teams above us still have big games ahead of them, so it's not over yet. The ball is in our court.

How will you prepare for the away game in London?

As usual. We're in training every morning, and on Friday, we leave for London. Personally I'll be watching the Arsenal game against Juventus on Wednesday. Bye.

 

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