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Newcastle United's troubles at the wrong end of the Premier League continued after a goalless draw with Portsmouth at St James' Park.

The result means that Newcastle are still in the bottom three with four games remaining, ahead of 19th-placed North East rivals Middlesbrough on goal difference and three points behind 17th-placed Hull, who have 34 points.

Pompey, meanwhile, stay 14th but have 38 points, seven ahead of the drop zone and heading towards safety.

In a match where both sides created but missed several chances, a draw was a fair result albeit one of little use to Alan Shearer's side, who must now win at least two of their remaining matches to have a fighting chance of survival.

The game started poorly, with Newcastle looking nervous and disjointed while Portsmouth were content to sit back and look for counter attacks.

Newcastle's passing was woeful at times but, as the half progressed, they gained in confidence and had the better opportunities to open the scoring.

Pompey had the first chance on the quarter-hour mark but a free-kick routine involving Sean Davis and Nadir Belhadj failed to come off when Glen Johnson's driven ball did not reach Peter Crouch.

Three minutes later, Belhadj almost found Crouch with a deep left-wing cross but the low ball was just too long for the striker's first-time effort and Sebastien Bassong put behind.

For the next 45 minutes, though, it was all Newcastle. Jose Enrique suffered a recurrence of his hamstring injury and Toon switched from a 4-3-3 to a 3-4-3, with Damien Duff operating as a midfielder-cum-wingback on the left.

The added width helped considerably, as now there were men to cross for the centrally-minded forward trio of Michael Owen, Obafemi Martins and Mark Viduka.

Alan Smith had a shot blocked by the arm of Hermann Hreidarsson but referee Mike Riley was justified in viewing contact accidental.

Danny Guthrie, who came on for Enrique, had a low drive diverted past David James by Viduka but Johnson slid across to put behind.

There was a half-chance for the visitors but Steve Harper tipped Davis's curler behind, and Toon came back soon afterwards when Smith fired inches over after Owen and Viduka combined on the edge of the box.

Duff forced a smart stop from James when Pompey failed to clear a corner and, from the resultant set-piece, Viduka missed the chance of the half when he headed over from close range.

Martins was unfortunate not to score just before the break when, after a goalmouth scramble, his rising drive was deflected over.

There was little change for the opening phase of the second half with Newcastle given plenty of encouragement by Pompey but unable to convert several gilt-edged chances.

Seconds after the restart, Viduka missed a sitter when he fired weakly at James after he was put clean through by an Owen backheel.

Pompey thought they should have had a penalty when an ill-advised slide tackle by Fabricio Coloccini sent Crouch sprawling in the box but Riley waved the appeals away.

There was almost a calamitous moment for James when he dropped a routine Duff cross into Viduka's path, but the England goalkeeper redeemed himself with a brave block at the Australian's feet.

James then made a superb stop when Owen was sent one-on-one, blocking the Newcastle captain's low finish with his legs, although the former Liverpool and Real Madrid striker should have scored.

That miss - and the introduction of Jermaine Pennant for the ineffectual David Nugent - saw the tide turn and Pompey boss the final half hour.

Toon ball-winner Nicky Butt had been replaced by Jonas Gutierrez, while the extra man in Portsmouth's midfield meant that Paul Hart's side barely gave the ball away to leave Newcastle chasing shadows.

Johnson was able to get forward down the right and sent a low drive wide of the far post after a superb solo run.

Belhadj almost scored a wonder goal when he ran from halfway before unleashing a powerful, rising drive, but Harper was equal to it with a tip over the bar.

Andy Carroll's header over from Duff's left-wing cross was a brief moment of respite for the Magpies, but Pompey would have snatched all three points with a bit more luck.

On 79 minutes, Crouch fired weakly at Harper when he was put through by the impressive Pennant.

And with eight minutes remaining, Pennant swung a corner from the left that Richard Hughes met with a looping header that left Harper a spectator, sailed over the head of Habib Beye and rattled the foot of the post before spinning away to safety.

Johnson and Pennant threatened some more but neither side could break the deadlock.

Newcastle face difficult trips to Liverpool and Aston Villa and must hope they can gain maximum points from home games against in-form Fulham and a vital six-pointer against Middlesbrough.

Portsmouth, meanwhile, will beat the drop if they avoid defeat in at least two of their final matches.

Reda Maher / Eurosport