Magpies look totally United in bid to stay up, insists Townsend

ANDROS Townsend believes Newcastle United players have ‘come together as a group’ to move eight points clear of the relegation zone after the former Magpies’ winger experienced ‘divisions’ in the dressing room when the club went down in 2016.

Newcastle were in the bottom three when Townsend completed his £12m move from Spurs midway through the season five years ago and it was apparent all was not right behind the scenes. He was one of a number of players who left after the Magpies were relegated and Crystal Palace quickly activated his £13m release clause.

However, Townsend still has a soft spot for his former side and has been heartened by Newcastle’s response since that humiliating defeat at Brighton last month.

He said: “I have been relegated twice with QPR and Newcastle. Both of those times there were divisions in the dressing room. The English lads go to one side and the foreign imports go to another sideand it is not really a great team cohesion.

“Some of the current Newcastle players went through relegation. They know what they need to do to get out of it and they are all coming together as a group and it is showing on the pitch, especially in the last three games.”