AN upturn in results means Newcastle United are looking up, improved resulting boosting morale and now sights are set on betting last season’s tenth-place finish rather than looking anxiously over their shoulders.

Back-to-back wins this week over Huddersfield Town and Burnley have eased the Magpies away from the danger zone, quelling relegation fears.

With ten games tomorrow, starting with tomorrow’s trip to West Ham United, Newcastle have six-point cushion between themselves and third-bottom Cardiff City and Matt Ritchie has not ruled out finishing in the top half.

He made the same claim at the beginning of this season, and speaking after Tuesday’s win over Burnley he said: “I’ve been told we're two points better off than at the same stage last season so of course, it is possible.

“Every season, your aim is to improve on the previous on. No one really believed me back in August when I came out and said our aim was to finish higher than last season.

“We had a fantastic year and everyone was telling us we overachieved but look, within the group, we didn't think that. The league table does not lie and we deserved that.

"I'm not getting carried away, there are some tough, tough games ahead, a lot of work to do to continue to perform as well as we have been doing. Hopefully with that, will come the wins we need to keep climbing the table.”

Newcastle are 13th and with a win tomorrow would move above Bournemouth if the Cherries lost at home to City.

"In the position we are now, you have to be optimistic,” added Ritchie.

“You now look at the table and yes, you do look up at those teams ahead of us and think, ‘it's on, we can catch them’. But at the same time, we certainly have our feet on the floor. The lads know full well the job is not done. We're on 31 points and that is not enough. We must reach 40 as soon as we can. After that, we can look to build on that.”

Beating Burnley 2-0 at St James’ Park brought an end to the Lancashire club’s own good run – along with Manchester United they were one of two teams not to have lost in the Premier League in 2019.

Manchester City, of course, also lost a few weeks ago to resurgent Newcastle, and Ritchie added: “Burnley was a fantastic win for us but it's all about small margins. It certainly wasn't easy for us because they had not been beaten in the league this year so that just shows what a good performance it was from us.

“Once again, everyone performed really well, the system is working for us. Everyone feels really comfortable with it.

"That win at home to Manchester City was big at the time but looking back, it's proved massive. You look at our results since but not just results but performances too - Tottenham, we got beat but really good performance, Wolves, another good one then Huddersfield and again against Burnley.

"We've done what we had to, strung together five or six really good, solid team performances and that's what we needed and always thought we had within us.

"But the work doesn't stop just because we've given ourselves a bit of breathing space. The job's not done. We've given ourselves a platform, nothing more than that. We've got to reach 40 points as soon as we possibly can and then once we get there, look to kick on.”

Finishing the season comfortably in midtable would be a contrast to the first three months of the campaign during which time the Magpies failed to win any of their first 11 games in all competitions.

Then came a hat-trick of victories – against Watford, Bournemouth and Burnley – before succumbing 3-0 tomorrow’s opposition West Ham at St James’ on December 1.

Form since has been inconsistent, but Ritchie has retained confidence in his team-mates’ ability.

"I know that within this squad we have enough quality, the right attitude and now, the competition for places that you need to do well,” he said. “I never doubted this group of lads because we've done it before. The squad is now so strong.

“We probably don't have what you'd describe as world-beaters but what we have got is strong characters and a fair bit of quality as well.

"Critics keep writing us off. Ever since I have been at the club, they've been saying "Nah, they're not strong enough" But they're wrong. We are a good side and I think we are showing that now.

"Everyone can see the confidence within the group and the way all the lads want to help each other. We continue to believe, continue to keep working and when you have that confidence and belief, they're big words but you can see we have that now.

"The last five or six, not just results but performances have been good, Sometimes, as I say it is about small margins.

"Looking back on our season, those first ten games - OK, we didn't do as well as we might have done but no-one could really accuse us of producing bad performances. We knew if we kept doing the right things and kept the high standards demanded of us, results would come."