NEWCASTLE UNITED’S players want to prove they are a team of winners by taking the Championship crown, with Karl Darlow admitting the next eight days are the most important of his playing days so far.

The Magpies head to leaders Brighton tonight and they could do with recording a positive result to give the battle to stay in the top two a huge boost at the start of a testing period.

After facing Chris Hughton’s Brighton at the Amex Stadium, Newcastle head to third place Huddersfield on Saturday before travelling to another promotion chasing side, Reading, next Tuesday.

The outcomes of those fixtures could well determine how serious Huddersfield are as contenders for an automatic promotion spot, while Newcastle could either have lost ground or gone clear in the race for the title.

Darlow said: "It's possibly one of the biggest fortnights of my career. It's one of those where we know what is needed to get out of this league.

“The way the fixtures have fallen, we're up against three top teams all of whom have their own hopes for the season. But we must take a positive approach to it and make sure we're still in the top two after it.”

Having fallen two goals down at half-time against Bristol City on Saturday, Newcastle recovered to earn a point on an afternoon when three points were expected against relegation-threatened opposition.

Darlow admits the players are trying to focus on the positives and the fighting spirit they showed to come from two goals down, while admitting that winning the Championship is just as important to them as going up.

"Obviously, we want to finish in the top two but really, we're aiming for top spot,” said the former Nottingham Forest shot-stopper. “Look at the mentality of the lads, like going 2-0 down, we could easily have crumbled but the mentality is there.

“We want to win, there are a lot of winners in this team and that has been shown throughout the season. We have not really gone through a patch when we have struggled. Our points tally right now is very good and we have to finish the job off.

"There'd certainly be a feeling of disappointment. As I said, we're a team of winners and we want to come first. We know it is a tough division and every game is tough.

“Even going to Burton, we only won by the odd goal, and that just shows how tough it is. But at the start of season, our aim was to win this league and that remains the aim.”

Darlow, who recovered on a personal level to make some saves against Bristol City after being at fault for the second goal, will not be under-estimating the significance of tonight’s match on the south coast.

The Newcastle goalkeeper feels the winners could claim a psychological advantage over their opponents in the remaining two-and-a-half months of the campaign by recording an impressive result.

“The Bristol City result probably makes Brighton even bigger,” he said. “We know what we've got to do. We've got a tough week ahead of us. Three difficult away games but we've been in good form away from home. We'll attack this week and get as many points as possible.

"Potentially, wins this week could do that but after these games, there are still ten left so nothing will be decided. A lot of football is still to be played. It's a long season.

“We have done well up to now and must make sure we continue to perform, carry on this unbeaten run and keep picking up as many points as we can, whoever we're playing."