KARL DARLOW is confident Newcastle United are ready to draw a line under their most traumatic week of the season so far and embark on another winning run that will ensure they finish 2016 with a flourish.

The dust has just about settled on Friday’s remarkable events at the City Ground, but while the FA’s decision to overturn referee Stephen Martin’s two red cards has ensured Jonjo Shelvey and Paul Dummett’s are available to face Birmingham City tomorrow, the 2-1 defeat at Nottingham Forest means the Magpies have seen their lead at the top of the table cut to a point.

Friday’s defeat followed a home league loss to Blackburn and an EFL Cup quarter-final exit at the hands of Hull, and Rafael Benitez has spent the week reminding his players of the qualities that took them on a nine-game winning run prior to their Rovers reverse.

Darlow was as disappointed as anyone as his return to the City Ground turned sour, but the goalkeeper is adamant there will be no hangover from last weekend’s events when Newcastle return to action tomorrow.

They will relinquish top spot if Brighton beat Leeds tonight, but with their game against Birmingham kicking off a hectic spell of six matches in 24 days, there is a collective determination to ensure the progress made in the last few months is not wasted.

“We always knew it was going to be tight at the top,” said Darlow, whose two penalty saves against Forest proved to be in vain as Jamaal Lascelles’ 86th-minute own goal proved decisive. “We know it’s a tough, tough league and there's plenty of games left to be played.

“We’re not even halfway through, so to be where we are is very good - we just need to make sure we can get going again now. We know we’ve got a lot of strength in this team.

“It’s a long, old season, and we’re still in a very good position. Hopefully we can get a positive result this weekend, and kick on again from there.”

Since breaking into the Newcastle team at the end of September, Darlow has emerged as one of the leading influences in the dressing room, along with his former Forest team-mate Lascelles.

Off the field, he is a talkative figure whose extensive experience of the Championship is a valuable asset, while on it, his performances have been far superior to those produced by Matz Sels at the start of the season.

He could hardly have done any more to try to engineer a positive result last Friday, and even now, it is hard not to wonder what might have been had he been involved in the penalty shoot-out at the KCOM Stadium instead of Sels.

The long-term future of Newcastle’s goalkeeping position remains in doubt, with Tim Krul due to return from his loan spell at Ajax next summer and Rob Elliot hoping to force his way back into the first team after suffering a succession of injury problems. For now though, the number one spot is Darlow’s to lose.

“I think I’ve progressed and come back (to Newcastle) as a better goalkeeper,” said the 26-year-old. “I’m obviously going to get better as a goalkeeper as I get older.

“When I first came in at Forest, I was young. I had the number one spot and played a fair amount of games, which set me up nicely to go on.

“Obviously with Newcastle being in the Premier League last year, it was good for me. It was a good experience and that’s where we want to get back to, and hopefully we can build again and get up there.”

For now, the priority is to ensure the current three-game winless run does not extend further. Birmingham might have suffered a heavy home defeat to Barnsley last weekend, but that was their first loss in the space of five games and they travel to St James’ Park sitting in fifth position in the table.

“I want to keep the shirt for at least the rest of the season,” added Darlow. “That’s my aim, that’s my goal. I want to get this club promoted, I want to be a big part of that, and that’s what I’m aiming for.”