NEWCASTLE United's £8m man Jean-Alain Boumsong is calling on his team-mates to ease the pressure they're under by silencing the St James' Park boo-boys.

The former Rangers centre-back has become only too aware in his short time at the club of the high expectations the Tyneside fans place on their heroes.

In the home league game prior to Sunday's 2-1 success over Bolton, the team was booed off both at half-time and full-time in a 1-1 draw against Charlton.

Since then, however, the Magpies have put together a run of four successive victories and Boumsong knows if the players continue to do well they can play without the added pressure of a hostile crowd.

"The run of wins gives us the confidence to work well and to work without a lot of pressure," said the France international.

"It has been a good sequence. It was important for us to get a big result in the Premiership (against Bolton) because the league is the most important thing in our season.

"We know that when you play at a big club like Newcastle there is always pressure. But if you have the confidence to work well and keep it (the booing) quiet in the stadium there is less pressure on us.

"We cannot afford to get over-confident but we know we won those games because we worked really hard and we have to keep going to maintain those results."

The St James' Park pressure will again be evident on Saturday against Liverpool - the Magpies fourth home game in succession.

A win could take Graeme Souness's side into the top half of the table for the first time this year and close the gap on Champions League chasing Liverpool to just six points.

A route back to Europe for Newcastle via the league, however, remains a distant prospect but Boumsong is refusing to rule out a late charge into the top eight.

Boumsong said: "We cannot give up on the league. It is especially important for us - for our pride - and for the fans who come to the stadium to support us.

"Of course we can still qualify in the cups, so we will try to reach the finals. It is going to be very difficult, but we will do our best."

Boumsong has joined a club whose defence has come under sustained criticism over recent years, and this campaign has been no different.

They have kept just three clean sheets in the Premier League this season - at home to Blackburn and away at Crystal Palace and West Brom - and the goal conceded against Bolton on Sunday again caused consternation for the players and the manager.

"Of course it is a disappointment every time you concede a goal," said Boumsong. "But the main thing was the win (against Bolton).

"It is not only the defence's problem, it is the whole team.

"When we do not concede too many goals, it is not only because the defence is good, it is because the whole team is working to keep our goal safe.

"It is not only the defenders that defends - it is the whole team."

Boumsong also had words of encouragement for a rejuvenated Kieron Dyer, whose man-of-the-match performance on Sunday has gone a long way to rebuilding his relationship with the Newcastle fans.

"He is a very top player. It is good to play alongside that kind of player, and I hope he will continue to improve in every game because he is still young and he has a lot of qualities," was Boumsong's opinion of a player who angered the Magpies' faithful for refusing to play on the right of midfield in the opening day of the season at Middlesbrough .

"He is a good player and you know that every player has difficult moments. He is our team-mate, but also a friend, so we have to support him. We have to support each other when there are difficult times.

"I do not think he needs our help because he is strong mentally. He is already a good player but he can still improve and become a top player internationally."

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