During his time as a player at Newcastle he never regarded qualifying for Europe as success, always adding: "Yes we've qualified, but you don't get medals for that."
Alan Shearer: "You have to be careful in criticising Kenny Dalglish.
"Liverpool entered three competitions this season and they could win two.
"There is a big gap there and Liverpool are not going to get in the top four this season but it still could turn out to be a good one for them.
"It's there for everyone to see that their league form has not been good enough, but if they go home with two cups then that would certainly be progress, and surely that is what it is all about for Liverpool at the moment?
"If you were to ask an Arsenal fan which they would rather have, the FA Cup and the Carling Cup in the trophy cabinet or a finish in the top four, then that is a tough question for them.
"Of course Liverpool want both. Next season will be all about winning trophies and getting in the top four, because that's the size of club they are.
"In contrast, have had a magnificent season, without winning anything.
"They came into it with totally different expectations to all the teams around them. Nobody thought they would be where they are now, so there is absolutely no pressure on them between now and May.
"[Manager] Alan Pardew is doing a great job and hopefully they will build on it next season.
"That depends on whether they keep hold of the players they have got and whether they bring new guys in over the summer to supplement them."
EASTER FIXTURES:
Saturday 31st March 2012
Aston Villa v Chelsea 15:00
Everton v West Bromwich Albion 15:00
Fulham v Norwich City 15:00
Manchester City v Sunderland 15:00
Queens Park Rangers v Arsenal 15:00
Wigan Athletic v Stoke City 15:00
Wolverhampton Wanderers v Bolton Wanderers 15:00
Sunday 01st April 2012
Newcastle United v Liverpool 13:30
Tottenham Hotspur v Swansea City 16:00
Monday 02nd April 2012
Blackburn Rovers v Manchester United 20:00
Friday 06th April 2012
Swansea City v Newcastle United 16:30
Saturday 07th April 2012
Sunderland v Tottenham Hotspur 12:45
Bolton Wanderers v Fulham 15:00
Chelsea v Wigan Athletic 15:00
Liverpool v Aston Villa 15:00
Norwich City v Everton 15:00
West Bromwich Albion v Blackburn Rovers 15:00
Stoke City v Wolverhampton Wanderers 17:30
Sunday 08th April 2012
Manchester United v Queens Park Rangers 13:30
Arsenal v Manchester City 16:00
Monday 09th April 2012
Everton v Sunderland 15:00
Newcastle United v Bolton Wanderers 15:00
Tottenham Hotspur v Norwich City 15:00
Aston Villa v Stoke City 17:30
Fulham v Chelsea 20:00
Tuesday 10th April 2012
Blackburn Rovers v Liverpool 20:00
Wednesday 11th April 2012
Manchester City v West Bromwich Albion 19:45
Wigan Athletic v Manchester United 19:45
Wolverhampton Wanderers v Arsenal 19:45
Queens Park Rangers v Swansea City 20:00
EUROPEAN SHOWDOWN ...
NEWCASTLE UNITED
Liverpool(H); Swansea (A); Bolton (H); Chelsea (A); Stoke (H); Wigan (A); Man City (H); Everton (A)
CHELSEA
Aston Villa (A); Wigan (H); Fulham (A); Newcastle (H); Arsenal (A); QPR (H); Liverpool (A); Blackburn (H)
LIVERPOOL
Newcastle (A); Aston Villa (H); Blackburn (A); Fulham (H); West Brom (H); Norwich (A); Chelsea (H); Swansea (A)
NEWCASTLE UNITED 20011/12
PREMIER LEAGUE
NEWCASTLE 2 LIVERPOOL 0 (Cisse 2)
Krul, Simpson, Williamson, Perch, Gutierrez, Guthrie (Gosling 65), Tiote, Cabaye, Ben Arfa (Santon 90), Cisse (Shola Ameobi 74), Ba.
Subs Not Used: Elliot, Ryan Taylor, Vuckic, Ferguson.
WEST BROM 1 NEWCASTLE 3 (Cisse 2, Ben Arfa)
Krul, Simpson, Williamson, Coloccini (Santon 46), Perch, Ben Arfa (Shola Ameobi 75), Guthrie, Cabaye, Gutierrez, Cisse (Ferguson 79), Ba.
Subs Not Used: Elliot, Abeid, Gosling, Vuckic.
NEWCASTLE 1 NORWICH 0 (Cisse)
Krul, Simpson, Williamson, Coloccini, Perch, Ben Arfa (Santon 63), Cabaye, Guthrie (Gosling 76), Gutierrez, Ba, Cisse (Shola Ameobi 69).
Subs Not Used: Elliot, Abeid, Vuckic, Donaldson.
ARSENAL 2 NEWCASTLE 1 (Ben Arfa)
Krul, Simpson, Williamson, Coloccini, Santon (Perch 46), Ben Arfa, Tiote (Guthrie 81), Cabaye, Gutierrez, Obertan (Shola Ameobi 61), Ba.
Subs Not Used: Elliot, Cisse, Gosling, Vuckic.
NEWCASTLE 1 SUNDERLAND 1 (Shola Ameobi)
Krul, Simpson, Williamson, Coloccini, Santon (Ben Arfa 46), Ryan Taylor (Lovenkrands 88), Cabaye, Tiote, Gutierrez, Ba, Cisse (Shola Ameobi 72).
Subs Not Used: Elliot, Guthrie, Perch, Obertan.
NEWCASTLE 2 WOLVES 2 (Cisse, Gutierrez)
Krul, Simpson, Williamson, Coloccini, Santon, Ryan Taylor (Guthrie 65), Cabaye, Tiote (Shola Ameobi 80), Gutierrez, Ba, Cisse (Ben Arfa 65).
Subs Not Used: Elliot, Perch, Obertan, Ferguson.
SPURS 5 NEWCASTLE 0
Krul, Simpson, Williamson, Coloccini, Santon, Obertan (Ferguson 46), Guthrie (Lovenkrands 86), Perch, Gutierrez, Ba, Cisse (Gosling 68).
Subs Not Used: Elliot, Ben Arfa, Abeid, Shola Ameobi.
NEWCASTLE 2 ASTON VILLA 1 (Ba, Cisse)
Krul, Simpson, Williamson, Coloccini, Santon, Ryan Taylor (Obertan 33), Guthrie, Perch, Gutierrez, Ba (Shola Ameobi 90), Best (Cisse 14).
Subs Not Used: Elliot, Ben Arfa, Gosling, Ferguson.
BLACKBURN 0 NEWCASTLE 2 (Dann og, Obertan)
Krul, Simpson, Coloccini, Williamson, Santon, Ben Arfa (Perch 46), Guthrie, Ryan Taylor (Obertan 89), Gutierrez, Best (Lovenkrands 77), Shola Ameobi.
Subs Not Used: Elliot, Abeid, Gosling, Ferguson.
FULHAM 5 NEWCASTLE 2 (Guthrie, Ben Arfa)
Krul, Simpson, Williamson, Coloccini, Santon, Ben Arfa, Guthrie (Perch 76), Cabaye (Gosling 83), Gutierrez, Best (Ryan Taylor 86), Shola Ameobi.
Subs Not Used: Elliot, Lovenkrands, Obertan, Ferguson.
NEWCASTLE 1 QPR 0 (Best)
Krul, Simpson, Coloccini, Williamson, Santon, Ryan Taylor (Gosling 81), Guthrie, Cabaye (Ben Arfa 25), Gutierrez, Best (Perch 76), Shola Ameobi.
Subs Not Used: Elliot, Abeid, Obertan, Ferguson.
NEWCASTLE 3 MAN UTD 0 (Ba, Cabaye, Jones og)
Krul, Simpson, Coloccini, Williamson, Santon, Ryan Taylor, Tiote, Cabaye (Perch 77), Gutierrez, Shola Ameobi (Best 75), Ba (Obertan 89).
Subs Not Used: Harper, Ben Arfa, Sammy Ameobi, Vuckic.
LIVERPOOL 3 NEWCASTLE 1 (Agger og)
Krul, Simpson, Williamson, Coloccini, Ryan Taylor (Santon 46), Obertan (Sammy Ameobi 84), Tiote, Cabaye, Gutierrez, Vuckic (Ben Arfa 65), Ba.
Subs Not Used: Elliot, Perch, Best, Shola Ameobi.
BOLTON 0 NEWCASTLE 2 (Ben Arfa, Ba)
Krul, Simpson, Coloccini, Williamson, Ryan Taylor, Obertan (Shola Ameobi 84), Cabaye (Perch 88), Tiote, Gutierrez, Ba, Best (Ben Arfa 61).
Subs Not Used: Elliot, Sammy Ameobi, Vuckic, Ferguson.
NEWCASTLE 2 WEST BROM 3 (Ba 2)
Krul, Simpson, Perch, Coloccini, Santon (Ryan Taylor 46), Obertan (Shola Ameobi 72), Vuckic, Tiote, Gutierrez, Best (Ben Arfa 61), Ba.
Subs Not Used: Elliot, Williamson, Abeid, Sammy Ameobi.
NEWCASTLE 0 SWANSEA CITY 0
Krul, Simpson, Perch, Coloccini, Santon, Obertan (Sammy Ameobi 82), Cabaye, Tiote (Vuckic 82), Gutierrez, Best (Shola Ameobi 71), Ba.
Subs Not Used: Harper, Williamson, Ben Arfa, Abeid.
NORWICH 4 NEWCASTLE 2 (Ba 2)
Krul, Santon (Ferguson 90), Simpson, Perch, Ryan Taylor, Obertan (Sammy Ameobi 80), Cabaye, Gosling, Gutierrez, Ba, Shola Ameobi (Smith 90).
Subs Not Used: Elliot, Ben Arfa, Lovenkrands, Best.
NEWCASTLE 0 CHELSEA 3
Krul, Simpson, S Taylor, Coloccini (Perch 27), R Taylor, Lovenkrands (Sammy Ameobi 71), Guthrie, Cabaye, Obertan, Ben Arfa (Shola Ameobi 46), Ba.
Subs Not Used: Harper, Santon, Gosling, Best.
MAN UTD 1 NEWCASTLE 1 (Ba pen)
Krul, Simpson, Steven Taylor, Coloccini, Ryan Taylor, Obertan (Sammy Ameobi 65), Cabaye, Guthrie (Perch 74), Gutierrez, Ben Arfa (Lovenkrands 80), Ba.
Subs Not Used: Elliot, Santon, Gosling, Shola Ameobi.
MAN CITY 3 NEWCASTLE 1 (Gosling)
Krul, Simpson, Steven Taylor, Coloccini, Ryan Taylor, Ben Arfa (Lovenkrands 76), Guthrie, Cabaye (Perch 85), Gutierrez, Ba, Sammy Ameobi (Gosling 79).
Subs Not Used: Elliot, Santon, Smith, Shola Ameobi.
NEWCASTLE 2 EVERTON 1 (Heitinga og, R Taylor)
Krul, Simpson, Coloccini, Steven Taylor, Ryan Taylor, Marveaux (Sammy Ameobi 54), Cabaye (Gosling 37), Guthrie, Gutierrez, Best (Ben Arfa 73), Ba.
Subs Not Used: Elliot, Santon, Lovenkrands, Perch.
STOKE 1 NEWCASTLE 3 (Barr 3)
Krul, Simpson, Steven Taylor, Coloccini, Ryan Taylor, Obertan, Guthrie (Gosling 90), Cabaye (Perch 78), Gutierrez, Best (Sammy Ameobi 86), Ba.
Subs Not Used: Elliot, Santon, Ben Arfa, Marveaux.
NEWCASTLE 1 WIGAN ATHLETIC 0 (Cabaye)
Krul, Simpson, Steven Taylor, Coloccini, Ryan Taylor, Obertan (Marveaux 76), Cabaye, Tiote, Gutierrez, Best (Ben Arfa 46), Ba (Shola Ameobi 68).
Subs Not Used: Harper, Santon, Perch, Smith.
NEWCASTLE 2 SPURS 2 (Ba, Ameobi)
Krul, Simpson (Santon 77), Steven Taylor, Coloccini, Ryan Taylor, Obertan, Cabaye, Tiote, Gutierrez, Best (Shola Ameobi 71), Ba (Ben Arfa 71).
Subs Not Used: Elliot, Lovenkrands, Gosling, Marveaux.
WOLVES 1 NEWCASTLE 2 (Ba, Gutierrez)
Krul, Simpson, Steven Taylor, Coloccini, Ryan Taylor, Obertan (Marveaux 90), Cabaye (Guthrie 89), Tiote, Gutierrez, Best, Ba (Lovenkrands 71).
Subs Not Used: Elliot, Santon, Ben Arfa, Sammy Ameobi.
NEWCASTLE 3 BLACKBURN 1 (Ba 3)
Krul, Simpson, Steven Taylor, Coloccini, Ryan Taylor, Obertan, Cabaye, Tiote, Gutierrez (Marveaux 84), Ba (Ben Arfa 74), Best.
Subs Not Used: Harper, Guthrie, Lovenkrands, Perch, Sammy Ameobi.
ASTON VILLA 1 NEWCASTLE 1 (Best)
Krul, Simpson, Steven Taylor, Coloccini, Ryan Taylor, Obertan, Cabaye, Tiote, Gutierrez (Sammy Ameobi 85), Best (Shola Ameobi 69), Ba (Marveaux 80).
Subs Not Used: Elliot, Guthrie, Lovenkrands, Perch.
QPR 0 NEWCASTLE 0
Krul, Simpson, Steven Taylor, Coloccini, Ryan Taylor, Obertan (Sammy Ameobi 88), Cabaye, Tiote, Gutierrez, Best (Marveaux 82), Shola Ameobi (Ba 64).
Subs Not Used: Elliot, Santon, Guthrie, Lovenkrands.
NEWCASTLE 2 FULHAM 1 (Best 2)
Krul, Simpson, Steven Taylor, Coloccini, Ryan Taylor, Lovenkrands (Ba 62), Cabaye, Tiote, Gutierrez, Obertan, Best (Vuckic 78), Vuckic (Smith 85).
Subs Not Used: Soderberg, Marveaux, Sammy Ameobi, Ferguson.
SUNDERLAND 0 NEWCASTLE UTD 1 (R Taylor)
Krul, Simpson, Steven Taylor, Coloccini, Ryan Taylor, Tiote, Cabaye (Williamson 85), Barton, Obertan (Gosling 85), Gutierrez, Shola Ameobi.
Subs Not Used: Harper, Lovenkrands, Ba, Best, Marveaux.
NEWCASTLE 0 ARSENAL 0
Krul, Coloccini, Steven Taylor, Ryan Taylor, Simpson, Barton, Cabaye (Lovenkrands 81), Tiote, Gutierrez, Shola Ameobi (Best 73), Ba (Obertan 46).
Subs Not Used: Forster, Williamson, Gosling, Sammy Ameobi.
FA CUP
BRIGHTON 1 NEWCASTLE 0
Krul, Simpson, Perch, Williamson, Santon (Ferguson 83), Guthrie (Gosling 83), Cabaye, Gutierrez, Ben Arfa (Ryan Taylor 83), Shola Ameobi, Best.
Subs Not Used: Elliot, Lovenkrands, Obertan, Kadar.
NEWCASTLE 2 BLACKBURN 1 (Ben Arfa, Gutierrez)
Krul, Simpson (Ryan Taylor 60), Coloccini, Williamson, Santon, Obertan (Shola Ameobi 56), Abeid (Gosling 87), Cabaye, Gutierrez, Ben Arfa, Best.
Subs Not Used: Elliot, Perch, Sammy Ameobi, Vuckic.
CARLING CUP
BLACKBURN 4 NEWCASTLE 3 (AET) Guthrie, Cabaye, Lovenkrands (pen)
Krul, Simpson (Sammy Ameobi 70), Perch, Coloccini, Santon, Marveaux (Obertan 77), Guthrie, Cabaye, Gutierrez, Ben Arfa (Lovenkrands 79), Ba.
Subs Not Used: Elliot, Abeid, Gosling, Ranger.
NOTTINGHAM FOR. 3 NEWCASTLE 4 (AET) Lovenkrands 2, Simpson, Coloccini
Elliot, Simpson, Coloccini, Perch, Ferguson, Abeid, Guthrie, Gosling (Shola Ameobi 70), Marveaux, Ben Arfa (Sammy Ameobi 70), Lovenkrands (Obertan 80).
Subs Not Used: Krul, Best, Dummett, Henderson.
SCUNTHORPE 1 NEWCASTLE 2 AET (R Taylor, Sammy Ameobi)
Krul, Simpson, Coloccini, Williamson (Steven Taylor 45), Ryan Taylor, Marveaux, Gosling (Vuckic 70), Cabaye, Lovenkrands, Best, Ba (Sammy Ameobi 65).
Subs Not Used: Soderberg, Abeid, Smith, Ferguson.
PRE-SEASON FIXTURES
NEWCASTLE 0 FIORENTINA 0 (Ab 63 mins)
Krul (Forster 46), Simpson, S Taylor, Coloccini, Enrique, Gosling (Ba 46), Cabaye, Vuckic, Jonas (Marveaux 46) Lovenkrands (R Taylor 61), Best (Shola Ameobi 46).Subs: Sammy Ameobi, Ranger, Tavernier, Williamson.
LEEDS UTD 3 NEWCASTLE 2 (S.Taylor, Vuckic)
Forster, Cabaye, Williamson, Barton, Simpson, Gosling, Gutierrez, Ba, Shola Ameobi, Taylor, Tavernier. Subs: Krul, Taylor, Best, Vuckic, Sammy Ameobi, Dummett.
COLUMBUS CREW 0 NEWCASTLE 3 (Ameobi, Coloccini, Vuckic)
Harper; Tavernier, S Taylor, Coloccini (Dummett, 54), Enrique; Gutierrez (Abeid, 85), Tiote (Smith, 62), Gosling, Marveaux (Vuckic, 76); Ameobi (Best, 75), Ba. Subs not used: Forster, Krul.
ORLANDO CITY 1 NEWCASTLE 0
Forster; R Taylor (Enrique, 26), S Taylor, Coloccini, Tavernier; Gosling (Vuckic, 71), Smith (Abeid, 74), Tiote, Gutierrez; Best (Ba, 74), Lovenkrands (Ameobi, 74). Subs not used: Krul, Harper.
SPORTING KANSAS 0 NEWCASTLE 0
Krul, Gosling, Coloccini, S Taylor, R Taylor, Marveaux (Tavernier 46), Tiote (Abeid 46), Ben Arfa, Gutierrez, Ba (Best 72), Lovenkrands (Smith 46).
DARLINGTON 0 NEWCASTLE 2 (Barton, Sammy Ameobi)
Forster; Simpson (Dummett), S Taylor (Tavernier), Williamson (Henderson), Ferguson (R Taylor); Barton (Abeid), Guthrie (Cabaye, Donaldson), Smith (Gosling), Vuckic (Sammy Ameobi); Ben Arfa (Richardson), Best (Ranger). Subs not used: Soderberg, Newton.