Alan Pardew is targeting European football for Newcastle next season as a reward for their impressive campaign.
Toon boss welcomes influential trio back into his squad
Alan Pardew is targeting European football for Newcastle next season as a reward for their impressive campaign.
The Magpies have the weekend off as they are out of the FA Cup and will return to training on Monday with the focus firmly on Premier League matters.
In their last outing they were trounced 5-0 by Tottenham but still remain sixth in the league, just a point adrift of a UEFA Champions League slot.
With 13 games of the campaign remaining, the Toon chief is challenging his troops to treat these games as cup finals and propel themselves into Europe.
"We'll be ready to work again next week - we've got 13 cup finals between now and the end of the season," he told
The Chronicle.
Important
"I've given the players the weekend off. They'll rest and do what they've got to do, and Papiss Cisse will be able to bring a few more clothes to Newcastle!
"We'll regroup on Monday ahead of two very, very important fixtures. We've got Wolves, and then we've got the derby.
"The mood in the camp's very much one of putting the Spurs game behind us. I've every confidence we'll do that."
Newcastle will be buoyed by the return of Cheick Tiote, Yohan Cabaye and Ryan Taylor as they ready themselves for the business end of the campaign.
Pardew added: "We'll have Cheick, Yohan and Ryan back for Wolves - they're three very important players.
"Ryan will train on Monday. He's had a fantastic season so far, and I'm sure he'll carry that form on to the end of the season."
