ALAN SHEARER’S assistant manager believes that even if Sunday’s game at Aston Villa turns out to be the pair’s last game in charge of the club they have “left Newcastle in good shape”.

When Iain Dowie and Shearer were appointed at the beginning of April the team were languishing third from bottom of the league; two points adrift of safety.

Seven games later and with the Magpies in the same position, albeit one point closer to the safety zone, it would appear that little progress has been made by the men charged to secure Premier League football.

But over their seven-week tenure the new regime have attempted to instill a greater sense of professionalism in the squad and Damien Duff and Mark Viduka have played their best football of the season since Shearer’s arrival.

The coaching team can point to a revitalised Viduka as proof their behind the scenes methods are paying dividends where chief medical man Paul Ferris has been a key figure.

Whatever Newcastle’s fate at 6pm on Sunday, Dowie defended his and Shearer’s record.

“I hope that whatever happens we’ve left Newcastle in a good shape,” noted the assistant boss who’s warned the Magpies risk being torn apart by Aston Villa’s threepronged attack if they take the game to Martin O’Neill’s team on Sunday.

“I’ve thoroughly enjoyed my time here and I don’t think we’ve seen many bad performances.

“I look at Chelsea in the second half when we were chasing the game and Tottenham in the first half. But overall the performances have been good. We’ve just not been able to put the ball in the back of the net.” admitted Dowie.

While a draw against Villa could be sufficient to secure the Magpies’ place in next season’s Premier League, Dowie acknowledged his team will be aiming to boost their survival hopes by winning.

But he cautioned against a gung-ho approach after noting the threat posed by Villa’s attacking trio who have netted a total of 30 league goals this season.

“If we play an expansive game, we could get torn apart,” he admitted. “They have midfielders who have pace and skill, and John Carew is a handful and has been since his days in Spain.

We have got to cope with that.

“Gabriel Agbonlahor and Ashley Young will be a handful, whoever’s in our defence.

They’ve got pace and power and they’re not up there by accident.”

Victory for Villa could see O’Neill’s side leapfrog Everton in to fifth and goalkeeper Brad Friedel insisted they will be showing no mercy.

He said: “Our form has been a bit disappointing recently.

But we are still fighting for a fifth-place finish and that might not bode well for Newcastle as we definitely have something to play for.

After finishing in sixth place last season we do want to do better this season.

“It’s not a nice time for the bottom clubs. I was involved in one or two relegation battles in my time at Blackburn.

I know Newcastle have a lot of very talented players, especially going forward. But when you get to games like this sometimes you tighten up and you’re not able to show your stuff.’’