Harper hoping to tame Tigers

Newcastle goalkeeper prepares for crucial KC Stadium clash

Last updated: 11th March 2009   Subscribe to RSS Feed

Harper hoping to tame Tigers

Harper: Fighting talk

Related links

Teams

Players

Also see

Steve Harper believes Newcastle's trip to Hull City on Saturday is one of the biggest games in the club's history and hopes victory can act as a Premier League survival catalyst.

The Magpies are battling relegation as they sit one point above the drop zone and, arguably, face the most testing run-in of all the clubs in the bottom half of the division.

City are also fighting against the prospect of slipping out of the top flight only one season after their Championship play-off victory, and Harper is well aware of the significance of the fixture.

The shot-stopper, who has played in an FA Cup final and the UEFA Champions League, hopes Newcastle can boost their own cause while also piling more pressure on City, who have won only twice in their last 19 league games.

Harper told Newcastle's official website: "We know how big this game is. Make no mistake, this really is a relegation six-pointer.

"I said last year before the game against Birmingham at exactly the same stage of the season that it was the biggest game in the club's recent history.

Character

"Thankfully, that night we got a draw, which kick-started a run of seven games unbeaten, which ultimately kept us up.

"And I have got no problem about saying this game at Hull is just as big.

"We need the three points. You don't get these games back. I look at the table and it doesn't lie, we really are in the thick of it.

"A good result at Hull, though, could act as a catalyst and we need to come out and show some real character.

"We have got to produce a performance like that against Manchester United last week.

"If we do that, then I'm confident we will get a result."