SIEM DE JONG thinks Steve McClaren can soon put the Newcastle United jigsaw together and enjoy a much-needed change of fortunes at St James’ Park.

The Magpies are without a win from any of their opening six matches in the Premier League and hope to avoid further frustration when the Championship’s Sheffield Wednesday visit Tyneside tomorrow.

Progressing to the last-16 of the Capital One Cup would be welcomed by McClaren after a difficult start to the campaign – and there now is a desire to do well in the cup competitions.

But McClaren, who won the League Cup with Middlesbrough in 2004, accepts that improving Newcastle’s Premier League form over the next few weeks is essential.

Newcastle are only spared being at the foot of the table because of a better goal difference than Sunderland - with the rivals due to face each other on October 25.

By then McClaren will have overseen further league games with Chelsea, Manchester City and Norwich City and current evidence suggests it will be difficult to pick up points from any of those.

But de Jong, introduced as a half-time substitute during Saturday’s 2-1 defeat to Watford, thinks there is enough quality to climb up the table if the right formula and way of playing is found quickly.

“Everyone believes we can do it. It's just a matter of putting the pieces together,” said de Jong. “At one point it's going to fit and we're going to get the results.

“It's always difficult at the beginning of the season with a new manager and new players. Sometimes it fits straight away, and sometimes it takes a few weeks.

"It's not a concern about all the results, but we want to win. We're disappointed we didn't win. We want to figure out how we can get the win. That's what we want to do this week, starting with the cup game.”

If Sheffield Wednesday turn up at St James’ tomorrow with the same attacking intentions as Newcastle then winning the third round tie might not be straight forward for the top-flight side.

But de Jong, who has struggled with fitness because of health and injury problems since his arrival from Ajax 13 months ago, tries not to worry too much about the plight at the wrong end of the table.

He said: “Of course we need results, for the fans and for ourselves as well. We want to win as much as everybody else.

“We shouldn't get sucked in too much. We need to keep sticking together. We're only a couple of months together with this group and the new manager and coaching staff, and we need to figure out the way we need to play.

“We're in that process now, and we're not getting the results we want. We got a good result at Man United away, but we're not playing as we want to play. We know that. We're going to work hard together as a team.”

De Jong is likely to start against the Owls tomorrow night, having tended to play in the cups rather than the league when he has been fit. A decent display, though, could lead to only his second Premier League start for the club when they face Chelsea on Saturday.

He is keen to prove himself in the North-East and said: “For me, it was difficult to get in the number ten position and get on the ball against Watford. But on the other side, you want to get in the box when the ball comes so you try.

"You want to be close to the striker. It's difficult for me ... you maybe don't get as many touches as you want. If I'd had a little bit more luck, I could have got a goal, but I didn't get it.”