Carroll’s rallying call to get Magpies ascending

NEWCASTLE United striker Andy Carroll is confident the Magpies have what it will take to drag themselves out of a mid-season slump and ease their way back up the Premier League table.

The Magpies slipped to a fourth defeat in six games in all competitions when in-form Leicester left St James’ Park with a 2-1 victory on Sunday, in the process dissipating some of the optimism created by a spirited display in which they had held champions Liverpool to a 0-0 draw four days earlier.

A return of just two points from a possible 15 since the middle of last month either side of a Carabao Cup quarter-final defeat by Championship Brentford has added to the ire of dissenting fans, but Carroll insists the dressingroom remains united.

He said: “You saw in the performance against Liverpool especially how we can play when we stick together.

“We defended well, we went forward well and we are a team – and we’re like that every day in training as well.”

Newcastle’s slump is mitigated by the Covid-19 outbreak which is still having a significant impact on Steve Bruce’s squad and a festive fixture list which pitted them against Manchester City, Liverpool and Leicester inside nine days.

Carroll added: “It’s not been a nice run, especially when the games are every two, three days. It’s been tough for everyone, rolling out every two or three days.

“But that’s what happens around this time of year and unluckily for us, we got the best teams in the league.”