Krul: Top six rivals should ´be afraid´

Tim Krul has warned Arsenal, Chelsea and Liverpool to “be afraid” of Newcastle United’s challenge for European qualification.

Newcastle, who sit sixth on the English Premier League, are just two points behind fifth-placed Chelsea and five from Arsenal, who occupy the fourth and final Champions League spot. They also remain five clear of seventh-placed Liverpool.

But Newcastle’s recent form of no wins in their last three matches is no cause for concern, according to goalkeeper Krul.

Despite Sunday’s draw with north-east rivals Sunderland, Krul believes the Magpies are well placed to mount a serious challenge for European football, especially after Chelsea’s sacking of manager Andre Villas-Boas.

“I think if teams like Liverpool, Chelsea and Arsenal watched the Sunderland game and saw the atmosphere, the fans and the commitment we showed, they will have to be afraid of us this season,” Krul said.

“We are just behind Chelsea and yes, of course this (manager Andre Villas-Boas’ sacking) will increase the pressure on them. You never want your manager to be sacked, but we’re looking at ourselves.”

With 11 games of the season left, including a home match against Liverpool and trips away to Chelsea and Arsenal, Krul has urged his team-mates to believe they can bring European football back to Newcastle for the first time since the 2006-2007 season.

“There’s 11 games to go and it will be a really hard away game next week (at Arsenal). But I think we’ve got a massive chance,” he said.

“We’re up there and we have to believe now.”

The 1-1 draw with Sunderland, which saw striker Shola Ameobi grab a last-gasp equaliser, was a big boost for Krul, who recently signed a new five year-contract at the club.

“It felt like a win, definitely. The fans could go home with a good feeling because we absolutely gave everything in the second half,” Krul said.

“It could have been even better, I think. We were all over them and we showed some proper, proper commitment in the second half.”

“We’ll take that with 11 games to go. We just have to push on from now until the end.”