Joey Barton admits that Newcastle (1/7 to stay up) made a statement to the rest of the Premier League with the 6-0 demolition of Aston Villa at St James’s Park but insists that the players will not be getting carried away with the result.
The newly-promoted Magpies were given a tough start to the new season and were comfortably beaten 3-0 against Manchester United at Old Trafford last Monday, but got their home campaign off in fine style against managerless Villa.
The game could have been entirely different had John Carew not blazed a tenth-minute penalty high into the stand after Ashley Young had been brought down by goalkeeper Steve Harper.
Newcastle wasted little time in taking advantage when Barton smashed in a dipping 20-yard effort to set the ball rolling and the home side never let up as the confidence drained from Villa, who had started brightly.
Kevin Nolan doubled the lead on the half-hour mark, before Andy Carroll added a third before the break.
Newcastle’s dominance continued after the interval with Carroll grabbing his second on 67 minutes, Nolan his second with three minutes to go and Carroll (33/1 to finish as the Premier League’s top goal scorer) completing his first senior hat-trick for the club in the last minute of injury time.
It was a great performance in front of the fanatical home crowd but Barton is determined that he and his team-mates keep their feet on the ground as Newcastle (4/1 to be relegated) look to re-establish themselves as a Premier League club.
“We weren’t too bothered about Monday – a lot of teams will get beaten by more than we did at Manchester United,” Barton said.
“It was important to make a statement today and now we want to carry the momentum forward.
“One swallow doesn’t make a summer but we’ve got to put in the same kind of shift in our next game at Wolves.
“We want to stabilise this club in the Premier League and we have given Villa a game today.”
Newcastle boss Chris Hughton looks set to strengthen his midfield after agreeing terms with FC Twente for Ivory Coast international Cheick Tiote, who has passed a medical and is now just awaiting a work permit.
Hughton admits it is a very important signing for the club, with Alan Smith the only other defensive midfielder in the squad, but is hopeful that the transfer dealings will not end there.
“We feel it’s such an important area in this division,” Hughton said. “Hopefully there will be one or two more signings before the window closes.”
Newcastle are next in action on Wednesday and are strong 4/9 favourites in the match betting to win their Carling Cup tie at Accrington Stanley (5/1 to win, 3/1 the draw) before travelling to Wolverhampton, who have taken four points from their opening two league fixtures, on a return to Premier League duty on Saturday.
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