ROB ELLIOT admits Newcastle United can have no complaints about their position in the Premier League relegation zone, and accepts this weekend’s trip to fellow strugglers West Ham United has the potential to make or break the rest of their season.

The Magpies slipped into the bottom three at the weekend as Mezut Ozil’s stunning first-half strike condemned them to a 1-0 defeat at Arsenal.

Rafael Benitez’s side played reasonably well for the majority of the match at the Emirates, but the result means they have now picked up just one point from their last nine matches, a run that has seen them plunge down the league.

They head to the London Stadium this weekend to take on a West Ham side that clambered out of the bottom three on Saturday as they claimed a 3-0 win at Stoke City, and while the season is not yet at its halfway stage, it is surely imperative that Newcastle get back to winning ways on Saturday ahead of a home game with runaway league leaders Manchester City four days later.

“We are there (in the relegation zone) because we have lost the last eight out of nine, so you can’t say, ‘Oh, we’ve been unlucky,’” said Elliot. “We need to make sure that going forward we address it and make sure we are putting in performances like we did at Arsenal.

“When we play the teams around us, the attitude and the way we played against Arsenal will hopefully allow us to create more chances and we won’t face the quality like Ozil’s strike every week.

“We need to make sure we take what we had in this match into West Ham, first and foremost. Because if we go in with that attitude and commitment, and shape and strength of the team, I think we can turn the results around quicker.

“There were a lot of positives for us definitely, especially in the second half with the way we pushed them back. But we just need to take that forward into West Ham and stop the run we are on because we are in the bottom three.

“Not that we didn’t realise before, but it’s definitely clear now that we are where we are and we need to start battling for results over performances.”

Newcastle have not won since they edged out Crystal Palace in mid-October, but whereas previous Magpies sides have thrown in the towel when they have embarked on similar runs, the current crop of players cannot be accused of lacking commitment.

An absence of quality is an issue, with Rafael Benitez desperate to bring in reinforcements during next month’s transfer window, and it is possible to quibble with some of the Magpies manager’s selections in recent weeks.

However, it would be harsh to accuse Newcastle’s players of not caring, with Elliot continuing to insist the spirit within dressing room is one of the squad’s biggest assets.

“Being around the dressing room, the lads were speaking about the game straight after it, trying to work out what we can and can’t do better,” said the goalkeeper, who was restored to the starting line-up at the weekend after sitting out the previous four games. “We’re talking to each other all the time.

“If people criticise each other, it’s not personal, it’s because they care. That’s the one thing we’ve got here. I think everyone accepts that, they know we’ve got a fantastic squad who want to give everything they can and obviously want to play for Newcastle and give everything on the pitch.

“Unfortunately, results aren’t going our way. It’s not falling for us like it was at the start of the season. But I can promise it’s not down to character, it’s not down to the commitment of the players.

“I think it’s a bit of inexperience, a bit of naivety sometimes. And then just that little bit of quality sometimes when we need that final finish. It’s just not falling for us. Arsenal was a good start of getting back to the basics we had at the beginning of the season. Hopefully, we can push on with that and build from there.”

Newcastle’s players had been due to remain in London on Saturday night for their Christmas party, but having opted to cancel their festive bash, they instead flew back to the North-East to begin their preparations for the trip to West Ham.

“It was a decision that we made because it’s not right to go out and celebrate,” said Elliot. “I think there are more important things to worry about. We have great togetherness, so I think it’s not an appropriate time when the club is not where we want to be.

“We have to knuckle down and think about football, concentrate solely on that, and make sure that every focus is on the game. It showed against Arsenal that I don’t think you can question the commitment or effort of the players. Hopefully, we can push on with that and have a good Christmas and January.”