Perch still hopeful of Champions League berth

James Perch still believes Newcastle can qualify for the Champions League but concedes results will need to go their way.

Newcastle’s streak of four consecutive home wins was ended on Sunday by Manchester City who boosted their title hopes with a 2-0 victory on Tyneside.

But Perch is confident Newcastle can end their season on a high away to Everton and secure European football for the first time since 2007.

“If we get the win and results go our way, we’re still in with a chance,” the defender told the club’s official website.

“If you’d said at the start of the season that we’d have one game to go and we’d be in with a chance of a Champions League place, we’d have taken it.

“We’re going to prepare the right way. We’ll prepare as if the other teams are going to get beat and hopefully go out and beat Everton.”

The former Nottingham Forest man feels the club have made huge strides since last season and is delighted with their achievements this campaign.

“The gaffer said in the dressing room, not many teams will get that reception after getting beat 2-0,” Perch said.

“It just shows how far we’ve come since last year and that the fans really appreciate what the players have done this year. They wanted to show us their appreciation and we wanted to do the same back. It’s a two-way thing really.”