Newcastle assistant Iain Dowie is unsure whether temporary boss Alan Shearer will remain with the club at the end of the season.

The club's battle against the drop will not be determined until the final game of the season, at Aston Villa on Sunday, but there has been speculation that the former England striker could be persuaded to take the job on a permanent basis.

Dowie, though, insists there is nothing in place beyond the current campaign. "I have said from the first minute we got here that we have taken decisions that are right for the long term of this football club, and maybe that has been perceived as we're staying for the long term, but I don't think that's the case," he said.

"Alan came to me and said 'it's an eight-week job'.

"As far as I'm aware, that eight weeks ends on Monday, nothing's changed. Although it will be a matter for Alan to sit down and talk about it if that's what he wants to do.

"But all our focus is on Sunday and keeping the club in the Premier League."