NEWCASTLE, England (AFP) - Newcastle United's plunge down the Premier League has left some of Kevin Keegan's under-performing players unable to bear looking at the league table.
The St James' Park club has endured a 13-game winless nosedive to leave them just four points above the relegation zone ahead of Saturday's crunch relegation clash with second-bottom Fulham.
Newcastle's last league win arrived in the corresponding fixture at Craven Cottage more than three months ago, since when they have embarked on a demise which cost Sam Allardyce his job and has seen his replacement Keegan unable to halt the slide towards the Championship.
Despite their troubles, defender Steven Taylor insists Keegan's side has what it takes to pull clear of trouble, but the England Under-21 international admitted: "We're fighting for our lives and I hate to see where we are in the table.
In fact I can't even look at a league table, it's that embarrassing. "As a Geordie the last thing I want to do is send the Geordies home unhappy and we can't hide any longer.
"It's tough being down the bottom end of the table and none of us finds it acceptable. There are no excuses and I'm not going to say anything other than we deserve to be where we are in the table."
Taylor admits the visit by Roy Hodgson's struggling side has adopted the proportions of a 'must win' fixture, and he added: "Under the gaffer we'll turn it around, we have to. The boss has done it before and it will take time but he'll do it again.
"We have to focus on Fulham and make sure it's a display which makes the supporters proud and sends them home with three points. Anything else is unacceptable. It'll be a massive game and the fans can play a big part."
Keegan is confident of securing a first win since his return in January, and said: "The Fulham game's at home and in front of our own fans and we know what a win would do for everyone. It would lift us further away from the bottom three and it'd give the fans a huge lift."
Midfielder Nicky Butt added: "Looking at each other in the dressing room, we know we have more than enough to get out of trouble."
A recent upturn in results has given Fulham, whose last Premier League away win came at Newcastle 18 months ago, renewed hope of retaining their seven-year membership of the Premier League, despite five of their remaining eight games being on the road.
Hodgson, who has welcomed Jari Litmanen back to training after the 37-year-old Finland forward suffered a minor heart scare, said: "We've got ourselves into a tough position and I think the battle for survival is going to go right down to the wire because of the number of clubs involved down there."
