Jack Colback says Newcastle need 'character and mentality' to improve

Jack Colback insists the "character and mentality" of Newcastle's players needs to change in order to improve their position in the Premier League.

Steve McClaren's side have slipped to second bottom of the table after losing 5-1 to Crystal Palace and 3-0 to Leicester in their last two matches and now face in-form Liverpool at St James' Park, live on Sky Sports on Super Sunday.

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Midfielder Colback insists the players are working hard, but their confidence quickly spirals out of control when they fall behind in matches and says they need to believe in themselves to avoid losing heavily.

"I don't think it's desire," he told Sky Sports News HQ.

"Maybe character and mentality. We have to be stronger. On the day, we have to be stronger and know if we have a setback, we can get back in the game.

"Obviously we got to the point where we were looking solid as a team. Against Norwich, we conceded a couple of goals, but going forward we were really good and against Sunderland we were very solid until we got a player sent off and that changed the game.

"Stoke we got a clean sheet and Bournemouth we got a clean sheet, so the signs were there we were looking good as a unit and as a team.

On the day, we have to be stronger and know if we have a setback, we can get back in the game.

"Then all of a sudden, you concede eight in two games. Maybe it's the nature of this league. It's an unforgiving league."

Last weekend's hammering against Palace prompted McClaren to call the players in for extra training the very next day.

And Colback insists that he - and the rest of the squad - could have no complaints about losing their day off.

"It's not something that's new," he added.

"Your days off get put on the board, but they always put a note 'at the manager's discretion' and after a performance like that, it's not uncommon to be in the next day.

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"I've experienced managers where you've never had a day off, so it's not unusual. It's something the players had no problem with. We came in and we addressed the game and tried to put it behind us.

"You've got to focus on the next one."

The defeat at Palace came on the back of reports of a training ground bust-up between players after the 3-0 defeat to Leicester.

McClaren described training as "feisty... competitive, intense, energetic" and Colback insisted the incident was blown out of proportion.

He added: "Training is always competitive. If that was a bust-up, then I wouldn't like to see a proper bust-up.

"Players argue in training and have a go at decisions because we want to win and we care. If it wasn't like that, it would be an issue, really.

"The players always want to win games. A lack of belief is different to a lack of fight and wanting to win.

"We go into games wanting to win, but we go behind and that belief goes. We have to start being a lot harder to beat and pick up points."

Watch Newcastle v Liverpool live on Super Sunday on Sky Sports 1 from 3.30pm.