No 1 priority for United is to build on Good point
DUBRAVKA WANTS TEAM TO MAINTAIN ITS MOMENTUM IN BIG CLASH AGAINST WOLVES
MARTIN Dubravka says Newcastle United must back up their excellent point at Everton with a home win against Wolverhampton Wanderers – even if they are facing a side on a high after beating Chelsea.
Wolves’ boss Nuno Espirito Santo guided the newly-promoted side to a fine victory against the Blues on Wednesday night and Wanderers now have a six-point cushion on the Magpies.
Dubravka put in a man-of-thematch display in the 1-1 draw with Everton but, looking ahead to the Wolves clash, he warned: “It will be difficult against a quality team.
“It is nice in the Premier League that even the other clubs can beat the top six.
“Hopefully, though, we can take some points at home as well.”
The point at Everton was the perfect response to the awful 3-0 defeat at home to West Ham but Dubravka feels it will count for little if his teammates slide to another home loss.
He added: “I think it was a great reaction but we must now follow up again.
“We knew that the result against West Ham was far from our best.
“We did not play that badly but we gave them golden opportunities to score.
“It was a great effort at Everton because we showed we can be better in defence.
“It was brilliant at Everton because we had people like Federico Fernandez throwing himself at the ball at times.
“All of the players did that in the second half and it was difficult.”
Since the draw with Everton, Toon fans have decided to call off their boycott as they do not want to send out the wrong message to potential new owners.
Dubravka paid tribute to the fans after they made an incredible amount of noise at Goodison Park.
He said: “The fans were amazing at Everton on a wet Wednesday night.
“They have done a great job supporting us so I have to give a big thank you to those who travelled to support us.”
Dubravka says the supporters will be key between now and the end of the season.
The former Sparta Prague stopper also played down his own man of the match award on Merseyside.
He said: “I appreciated that but it was a great effort from the team.
“We knew it would be a difficult game against a quality team and I think in the end we deserved to take a point. We really did fight for every duel. It was a great effort.”
After a week in which Mike Ashley stated the club could be sold before the January window - an interview which has caused plenty of uncertainty behind the scenes - Dubravka underlined how important staying focused at Everton was.
He added: “It was a really important result.
“We knew it would be difficult and we appreciate one point in an away game is going to be vital. “We had to stay focused all the way through. “You are playing 90 minutes and the game can change very quickly.
“In one minute you can concede a goal or score one. “We created two good chances late on to score a winner but you have to say Everton had chances too.
“I think one point was very good for us.”
We knew it would be a difficult game against a quality team and I think in the end we deserved to take a point