MAGS OUT TO STAY TOP
NEWCASTLE KEEPER DARLOW EAGER TO REMAIN ONE STEP AHEAD OF RIVALS BRIGHTON
Newcastle United are in no mood to give up pole position in the Sky Bet Championship, according to keeper Karl Darlow.
The Magpies’ weekend win over Derby County saw them rise a point above Brighton to the top of the second tier, with the Seagulls held 3-3 at Brentford.
Having hit the top again, former Nottingham Forest keeper Darlow insists: “We have to kick on now.
“We are at the top of the table again and we want to stay there.
“We need to make sure we win as many games as we can in the last 17 games that are left.”
Darlow admits Newcastle have too often been the masters of their own downfall this campaign.
But the 26-year-old had praise for the Seagulls, who have gone toe-to-toe with United every step of the way this season.
“Credit to Brighton - they have kept up with us and we have to be on our toes every step of the way,” said Darlow.
“We have set a very good pace with the points we are picking up at this level.
“When you look at the totals that tend to get you up in this league we are well on track for that.
“We need to keep concentrated and make sure that when we go away from home we come back with all three points.”
United travel to Wolves on Saturday looking to capitalise on some recent slips by their rivals.
Darlow knows the players will have to scrap for everything down at Molineux against Paul Lambert’s men, who, up until last week, were on a decent run of form.
He added: “We don’t make it easy for ourselves. It is a tough league – we know that. Every game is a bit of a scrap and we had to do that towards the end against Derby.
“Obviously when we were only one goal up going into the final stages we knew it could turn out a bit nervy.
“It did but we showed towards the end of the game that we have the character to get through what Derby threw at us.”
Wolves boss Lambert, out to bounce back from defeat at Burton Albion, said: “We’ve played a lot of high level games and come up with answers to win.
“I’m not going to let one defeat change the way I think of the lads or anything.
“I’ve got a group that I know I can trust, which is important – and the effort is always there.
“We’re playing well. The work ethic for the game is great.”