Keegan chases safety target

Kevin Keegan has admitted his first goal as Newcastle manager is to avoid relegation.

The euphoria of Keegan's second coming in the St James' Park dugout has not delivered the results the club's fans crave.

In his first six games in charge, Newcastle have lost four times and drawn twice and they are just six points above the relegation zone.

They have 28 points with 11 games to play and Keegan has set his sights on a total of 40 points to guarantee Premier League football next season.

Keegan said: "We need to get to 40 points. I think 40 will be enough, although I may be proved wrong even on that.

"But we are just in the early stages of rebuilding here, and this instant quick-fix thing was never going to happen."

Keegan has appointed the former Spurs coach Chris Hughton as his assistant and believes improved training will bring better results.

He added: "I have seen improvements on the training ground, definitely, but those improvements as yet have not gone on to the pitch - where it really matters.

"If we get the training up to the standard we need and the quality we need, then that will go on to the big pitch.

"My belief always had been, having been in football a lot of years as a player and then as a manager as well, that is usually the way it works."

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