STEVE MCCLAREN has effectively admitted he is putting a brave face on affairs at Newcastle United as they continue to battle against relegation from the Premier League.

McClaren’s Newcastle have reached the halfway point of the season in 18th position, above neighbours Sunderland, having won only four of their 19 games so far.

The Magpies travel to Arsenal on Saturday for their first fixture of 2016, and McClaren, having appeared before the TV cameras yesterday to say the alarm bells were not ringing, he provided a little more candour in front of the written press moments later.

“Believe me, under the surface, I am paddling like mad,” said McClaren, when asked whether the fans were more worried about Newcastle’s predicament than he appeared to be. “But we have a little bit more information than everyone else.

“We know what we have got and what we are trying to do. We feel as if we are getting there after a tough start. That is the first half of the season gone. 2015 is about to end, Good! We cannot wait for the next year. “

“It has not been good enough and that is why we are in the bottom three. That is where we are realistic and we need to do something about it. And we will do. There are 19 games to go. You try to make sure with ten games to go, you are in a good position and with five to go you are in an even better position. Before that we have a lot of work to do.”

McClaren has not called out any of his players this season and said that he was starting to see consistency in the performances despite consecutive defeats to Everton and West Bromwich Albion over Christmas, contrary to the likes of Sam Allardyce and Jose Mourinho, who have both attempted to get a reaction from their players with public criticisms.

“I think I've been quite honest in terms of whether the performances have been good or bad,” said McClaren. “I think certainly that was expressed after Palace and after Leicester. I will never fault these players as long as they give 100 per cent attitude, effort. I think they have done that.

“If I feel certain individuals haven't, then I'll let them know privately but I think publicly I've never said we've played well when we've played badly. I've never said we've played or he's played badly or good when they've been the opposite.

“I've been quite open and honest. I think I've been quite honest in the appraisal of performances really.”

When asked if McClaren considered criticising his players as Mourinho did shortly before his sacking from Chelsea, the former Derby County manager replied: “Just before he left? That may be the lesson.”

Earlier, in the interview with the broadcast media ahead of the Gunners clash, McClaren came across relaxed about his side’s position in the Premier League, with relegation to the Championship for the first time since 2010 a clear and present danger.

“There are 19 games to go,” said McClaren. “It would worry me if they weren't giving attitude, effort, weren't being bright around the place, weren't playing as committed as they were, weren't creating chances as we are, playing the football that we are.

“We are just not getting the results from that. That will have to turn, that will have to change and with 19 games to go, we will have to do it very quickly.

“There are 19 games to go. The first eight were very difficult, we only collected three points. The 11 since that, we have collected 14 points and it should have been more.

“We kind of turned a corner and the last three games have been disappointing, but the performances have been there and we’ve been unlucky in games. We need to take our performances in the last 11 games, apart from Leicester and Crystal Palace which were very poor, if we continue that level of performance we will win games.

McClaren referred to himself as ‘the eternal optimist’ and believes he has a good group of players who can get Newcastle out of danger.

He added: “It depends what I’ve got. I’m quite a realist. I do know what is happening and I try not to pull the wool over too many people’s eyes. I’m very positive with this group and this squad. I always have been.

“The way they train is terrific. They are a great group to work with. They are young, and quite buoyant, but they are learning and I think they have got better. We had a tough start but since then we have collected points and shown we can compete with anyone on our day.

“Any manager is a tough job at any club or at any level. Unless you’ve been a manager you don’t quite know what it is like. It is a tough job but you have always got to be optimistic and positive and have belief in your players, which I certainly do."