News. Turner targeting play-offs ahead of Swans clash

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Published
31 Jan 20

Jake Turner is hopeful Newcastle United Under-23s can maintain their push for a Premier League 2 play-off spot ahead of Monday's trip to Swansea City.

The young Magpies face the Swans at the Landore Training Centre (kick-off 1pm GMT) and currently sit in tenth place of division two on 16 points, six points adrift of the play-off spots.

United's second-string suffered a 1-0 defeat to the Welsh side at St. James' Park back in September - conceding in stoppage-time - but Turner believes the squad are capable of securing a top-five finish for a successive season after reaching the division two play-off final last term before narrowly losing out to Southampton.

"We've got to make sure we can win all the games possible," the 20-year-old goalkeeper told nufc.co.uk. "If we win this one, we can get a step closer to the play-offs. We have to try and win all the matches to try and secure a spot in the play-offs.

"Since we've come back from the break, we've been playing well. We were quite unlucky against (Manchester) United (a 2-1 loss), but we've got to keep playing well and, hopefully, the results should come.

"We know it will be a tough game. They gave us a difficult game up here at St. James' Park but we will just have to play our own game and make sure we can be better than them on the day. It's tough when you lose any game, especially in the last minute. Since then, I think we've come on a lot.

"We'll plan to go into the match like any other. Even though they are unbeaten for five games, we've got to just go and play our game and see what happens.

"The games coming up this month may feel a little bit more important (against Sunderland and Middlesbrough) as they are our rivals but each game is equal. We've just got to win as many as we can and get as many points to see where we finish at the end of the season."

Newcastle's under-23 squad return to league action following successive cup matches in previous weeks, with Turner featuring in between the sticks for both encounters.

United drew with Hull City in the Premier League Cup before Turner, who joined the Magpies last summer, played a key part in securing the young Magpies' place in the Northumberland Senior Cup semi-finals after saving three spot kicks in a penalty shoot-out triumph over Newcastle Benfield.

"The cup games have been good," Turner added. "We want to go as far as we can in the competitions and achieve some silverware at the end of the year. Our focus is now back on the league and attempting to reach the play-offs.

"It was great to help the team out (against Benfield) but, to be fair, I felt we should have had the game won in the 90 minutes. It went to penalties so I just had to do what I could and I managed to save three penalties.

"I'm enjoying my time here at Newcastle. The lads are all sound and I feel like I am training really well. So far, I think my first season here has gone really well."

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