Newcastle have leapfrogged Chelsea into fifth place with a 2-0 win over Bolton on Monday, and are now level on points with fourth-placed Tottenham.
A wonderful solo effort from Hatem Ben Arfa opened the scoring for the Tyneside club after 73 minutes, with Papiss Cisse sealing the victory with the second ten minutes later.
Alan Pardew is keeping his feet on the ground after the win, but is delighted to be in the mix for Champions League qualification.
“I said all along that if we can get to the last six games and be in and around, we will give it a go,” he told Sky Sports.
“That is what our fans want to see us do – an honest commitment to win the game. That is what we have done all year.
“It has got us where we are now. We are not going to get carried away by it,” he confessed.
Pardew went on to praise Ben Arfa, and has championed the attacker to be included in Laurent Blanc’s France squad for Euro 2012.
“I think the goal at Blackburn was probably better, if I’m honest. But this one is going to be Premier League coverage.
“He is going to get what he deserves for this goal, because, the last one, he did not get enough coverage for that goal.
“Hopefully it will edge the French manager to include him in the French squad, because he is desperate to get in that.
“He showed that today. Not just his goal, but his performance, his work-rate. It was fantastic,” he concluded.
By Gareth McKnight
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