Quinny: It’s time to get behind the lads

MOMENTUM IS CRUCIAL NOW... AND IT IS THOSE HANGING ON TO UNITED’S TAIL WHO HAVE IT

NEWCASTLE United need our help. It iss hard to be positive after the terrible performance at Ipswich Town but this Magpies side appears to be in desperate need of a lift. Fans have already done so much to help the team’s cause this season but it is essential they provide one final push. For the vast majority of the campaign Newcastle have been excellent - yet in the last few weeks their form has well and truly deserted them. Just two wins in eight matches simply is not good enough. While Brighton have cemented their Premier League place for next season and surged towards the Championship title in the process, Newcastle have being giving Huddersfield and Reading some hope to latch on to. That is always dangerous. Momentum is crucial at this stage of the season and, while Brighton have it in abundance right now, the Magpies’ has gone AWOL. I was absolutely gutted when Newcastle conceded that 95thminute equaliser against Leeds. I was so angry I jumped up and punched the wall. It was the Magpies’ best all-round performance in months and they were in complete control.

Yet they could not score the second goal, and a dreadful lapse of concentration allowed the league’s top scorer to run into the box unmarked and smash in a leveller.

That late goal gave me a bad feeling about Easter Monday’s game at Portman Road just because of the psychological impact I feared it would have on the players.

I did not expect such a limp and lifeless performance.

Newcastle were lethargic and second to every ball against Ipswich. If anything, 3-1 flattered the Magpies.

It was an unacceptable display and no one at the club should be beyond scrutiny after that, both manager and players included.

I did not see the need for Rafa Benitez to make five changes to a team who had played so well the match before given the fact there were only a few games of the season left.

The players need to take a long, hard look at themselves but I have to question their attitude.

They just did not look up for the game and that is not acceptable.

We need to see a response from both. I know Rafa will be calling upon his vast experience to look for a solution on the training ground, and I don’t expect to see mistakes from him for the Preston game - he is just too good to slip-up twice. As for the players, well I want them to show some they have the mettle - and the bottle - to finish the job off. Look, I will be disappointed if Newcastle don’t go up as champions and it does not look like they will any more.

We just need to get out of this division - and to do that we need wins and some momentum to secure second place.

We have been in the top two for so long now, it is just about sealing promotion and proving we really do deserve to be in the top flight.

If the Ipswich performance is anything to go by, I am not sure the players are capable of doing it themselves.

They need our help - and on Monday night fans need to make St James’ Park into the cauldron it has done so often this season.

It is all about this final push. Let’s get the job done - then we can celebrate reclaiming that Premier League status.

The players need to take a look at themselves. They just did not look up for the game and that is not acceptable