Eddie Howe has challenged Newcastle to meet his expectations by qualifying for the Champions League.

HoweIt is sitting fourth in the Premier League with three games left to secure the five best that guarantees a place in the European Elite Club competition.

Newcastle can take a big step towards this target with a win against the fifth place Chelsea In St. James’ park on Sunday.

Magpies are in front of Chelsea just because of scored goals, with Manchester City, Nottingham forest AND villa Also engaged in scrap for a high place.

Some Newcastle fans may already be pleased with the season after winning the against the anti -league Cup final Liverpool To end the drought of the club’s 56-year-old trophy.

But he asked if that wembley triumph had removed the pressure from Newcastle, Howe told reporters: “We feel a reception, of course, to try to offer the Champions League football.

“It was a reception we decided on ourselves, so I get what you are trying to say, but I don’t necessarily feel that way inside.

“Winning the Cup final, I think, gave us a new freedom and faith found from the back of this. This gave us a bounce in the next matches. We raised our performance from the back of this.

“But that feels like it was, in football terms, quite a long time ago.

“Now we have to focus on these last three games knowing, for me, how good the team can be. We have to set our expectations very high“

Howe believes that Newcastle will have to produce one of their best shows this season if it will provide a vital victory over the UEFA Conference League finalists Chelsea.

Calling on his players to imitate their Dynamic League Cup show against Liverpool, Howe said: “I think we will have to go close to that kind of performance in order to win.

“Chelsea gave us one of our most difficult season games at Stamford Bridge earlier this season. I thought they were excellent and I think they have started re-kap that shape in their last games.

“Enzo Maresca is a very good manager. He is very smart with what he does with the style of the game they possess, and they have really received good offensive players who can harm us if we are not right“