Newcastle boss Alan Shearer has told his side they can save themselves with a win at Anfield - despite the return of Steven Gerrard.
Ominously for relegation haunted Magpies, the Liverpool skipper has recovered from a groin injury that has kept him sidelined for almost a month.
He should start in the game on Sunday, and Newcastle's former Anfield hero Michael Owen has conceded the fixture is unlikely to yield any points in the battle for survival. But Shearer has other ideas, and has banned any talk of writing off the visit to Liverpool.
"Obviously we go to Anfield as underdogs but we must believe we can get something there," Shearer said.
"There certainly can be no despondency and no one will be giving up the fight. We can't let our heads down.
"We will go to Anfield in good spirits and see what we get. There's still a lot of work to be done and we're still in there fighting."
With only four matches remaining, Newcastle are three points from safety, and have daunting visits to Anfield and Aston Villa to contend with. Shearer has yet to win a match since being appointed as interim boss following Joe Kinnear's heart problems, taking just two points from four matches.
Owen has already admitted that it is Newcastle's home games against fellow strugglers Middlesbrough and then Fulham that will decide their fate.
The striker has gone nine matches without a goal and missed a glorious chance to give his side victory against Portsmouth last Monday.
But despite accepting the visit to Anfield could be fruitless, he still believes he can steer the Geordies to safety.
Owen said: "I wake up and know where I stand in terms of performances, my standing in the game, the goals I will score given the opportunities and everything else.
"I've been around a long time and everyone knows if I get chances I will score goals. We understand the criticism we have received for where we are in the table, but we also know we are a better team than we are showing on a regular basis.
"We go to Liverpool and Aston Villa, and if we can get some points from those games we'll grasp them. But it's the next home games against Boro and Fulham that are the major focus."
Ominously for relegation haunted Magpies, the Liverpool skipper has recovered from a groin injury that has kept him sidelined for almost a month.
He should start in the game on Sunday, and Newcastle's former Anfield hero Michael Owen has conceded the fixture is unlikely to yield any points in the battle for survival. But Shearer has other ideas, and has banned any talk of writing off the visit to Liverpool.
"Obviously we go to Anfield as underdogs but we must believe we can get something there," Shearer said.
"There certainly can be no despondency and no one will be giving up the fight. We can't let our heads down.
"We will go to Anfield in good spirits and see what we get. There's still a lot of work to be done and we're still in there fighting."
With only four matches remaining, Newcastle are three points from safety, and have daunting visits to Anfield and Aston Villa to contend with. Shearer has yet to win a match since being appointed as interim boss following Joe Kinnear's heart problems, taking just two points from four matches.
Owen has already admitted that it is Newcastle's home games against fellow strugglers Middlesbrough and then Fulham that will decide their fate.
The striker has gone nine matches without a goal and missed a glorious chance to give his side victory against Portsmouth last Monday.
But despite accepting the visit to Anfield could be fruitless, he still believes he can steer the Geordies to safety.
Owen said: "I wake up and know where I stand in terms of performances, my standing in the game, the goals I will score given the opportunities and everything else.
"I've been around a long time and everyone knows if I get chances I will score goals. We understand the criticism we have received for where we are in the table, but we also know we are a better team than we are showing on a regular basis.
"We go to Liverpool and Aston Villa, and if we can get some points from those games we'll grasp them. But it's the next home games against Boro and Fulham that are the major focus."
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