EMMANUEL RIVIERE hopes a few shoots of recovery are signs that Newcastle United’s players can handle the pressure in the Premier League’s relegation run-in.

The Magpies ended a depressing slump of eight straight defeats by claiming a point to increase the chances of staying in the top-flight because of Hull City’s loss at home to Burnley on Saturday.

And while a home victory over West Bromwich Albion would have been a much greater boost in the battle to avoid the drop, the point was hard earned with the Magpies displaying more fight than they had in previous games.

Now Newcastle hope to follow up the draw with West Brom by finishing strongly at already relegated QPR this weekend and then when West Ham visit St James’ Park on the final day of the season.

"I was with Monaco in Ligue 2, and I went up with Monaco, not suffer relegation, so I have not experienced this before. We have pressure, but we are professional,” said Riviere.

“The pressure is there, but sometimes it's good. Look at the (WBA) game – nobody was afraid. Sometimes the pressure is good.

“If you have your own destiny in your hands, it's much better. We don't have to wait for somebody to win. If we get the points, we stay here.

“Nobody could enjoy relegation, but I enjoy fighting for the team. I keep fighting."

The importance of avoiding defeat last weekend was huge given the build up, with skipper Fabricio Coloccini penning an open letter to supporters in the hope of uniting everyone after a fraught few months.

But Riviere, who has endured a difficult first season on Tyneside himself, knows the improvements cannot stop there.

"We have two big weeks. It's very important for us and all the fans. This week will be very important,” he said. “We had to fight for that point - it was very important. We can hope again. We are very determined, and we fought to take that point.

"We all fight together. Ayoze Perez scored the goal, but it looked like everybody scored (from the celebration). The team stayed together and fought. The performance was up, and the fans helped us. They cheered for us, and that was very important. All the staff and the team are together.”

If Newcastle are to finish the season stronger then work behind the scenes is still ongoing aimed at solving their woeful defensive record from set-pieces.

When Victor Anichebe headed in Craig Gardner’s free-kick on Saturday it was the tenth time Newcastle have conceded via a set-piece from the last 15 goals that have been scored against them; including in each of the last four.

Ryan Taylor said: “We keep conceding from set plays at the minute and that is very worrying. That has been the case over the last few weeks, where corners and free-kicks are deciding games against us.

“Look at when we played Arsenal in March. As good as they are at passing the ball, they scored from two set pays - it was too easy for them.

“We work on set plays every week but when it comes to a Saturday, it becomes an individual responsibility. You get asked to do a job, told where you are and who you are marking but if people don't track runners, then you will concede stupid goals.

"It is something we have to clamp down on - we have put the hours in to put that right and save our season.”

And Taylor, who started in midfield, added: "It was embarrassing and if you asked every single person in the dressing room, they feel the same way. It is up to us to get to that 38, 39 or 40 point mark and then make sure it does not happen again next season.”

Taylor is out of contract in the summer and is uncertain what the future holds after working his way back after serious injuries.

He said: "I'm not going to lie, the situation does play on my mind because like any other professional it is nice to have a contract and some security.

"But I am playing for the good of the football club and my main focus is completely on Newcastle United and helping this team stay up.

"I don't want to go down. I have had it once before when I first signed and don't want that feeling again. All I am thinking about is helping this team pull through the difficult situation we are in and then we will see what happens with my contract after that.

"If I am not here next season, it will be very sad because I love this club. In an ideal world, I would love to still be playing in the Premier League for Newcastle.”