Recently by Lee Ryder

NEWCASTLE United tumbled back down the Premier League table tonight after going down 2-1 to Fulham at Craven Cottage.

Defensive frailties cost United dearly during the game as a first half blunder from Cacapa let in Andy Johnson to open the scores and a rash challenge from Fabricio Coloccini allowed Danny Murphy to win the game from the spot.

Murphy's winner arrived after Shola Ameobi had equalised with Michael Owen's cameo appearance failing to inspire a Toon fightback.

IF Newcastle United can continue to carve teams open like they did at Fulham on Sunday and be that little bit more ruthless in front of goal then it's a fair bet they will not be relegated this season.

But if they put in many more disjointed defensive displays against the teams that are battling with them to stay in the Premier League, then fears that United will be playing in the Championship next season will only intensify.

Once again in the world of Newcastle United, it's a story of ifs and buts.

Newcastle United may well be keeping their heads above water without Michael Owen at the moment but with uncertainty surrounding the future of both the club and the out of favour England striker both factors cast huge doubts over the Toon retaining their Premier League status.

Mike Ashley said on September 14: "If I can't sell the club to someone who will give the fans what they want then I shall continue to ensure that Newcastle is run on a business and football model that is sustainable. I care too much about the club merely to abandon it."

In light of those words, surely making sure that Owen is part of the future of the club is vital to the club whether Ashley stays or somebody else comes in and hopefully the Toon tycoon is fully aware that caring for the club is to make sure it keeps our prize asset.

The tones of Keith Harris' trombone may well be drifting out in the background of the soap opera that is Newcastle United but on the field Joe Kinnear could be in danger of winning the job on a permanent basis.

New owners may well have their own ideas but with no new owners pulling up on Barrack Road in the short-term, Kinnear remains in the box seat for the job no matter who is in charge - providing the results are right.

Like Glenn Roeder did in 2006 he could "win the job" because if he can get United into a respectable position in the Premier League amidst these circumstances what could he do with financial backing?

Newcastle United's players can't afford to get carried away by their 2-0 win over Aston Villa but they have every right to enjoy the moment after putting on one of their best displays for some time at St James's Park.

In recent years, United players have been slated for poor performances with Toon fans suffering plenty of false dawns under a wide range of managers in recent times.

But as United attacked at will during the second period with plenty of efforts at goal, it wasn't quite the Entertainers yet when Jonas made a lung busting left-wing run before rolling it across the face of goal for Oba Martins to grab his second, the scenes of unity from Toon players suggested that this lot do actually care as much as the fans.

Apart from the yellow ball making a return to St James's Park only one other thing is certain going into tonight's game with Aston Villa - and that is Newcastle United know exactly where they will be if they fail to pick up a positive result.

And sadly for the Toon Army that will be rock bottom of the Premier League table.

We've certainly experienced some bad times since winning promotion in 1993 to the top flight - but being bottom has thankfully never been a regular occurence.

When Joe Kinnear arrived at Newcastle United last month he did so with the task of steadying the ship.

And to this day he has done exactly that, painfully there was a derby defeat chucked into that period but his first task was passed when he hauled United out of the relegation zone.

With the injuries Newcastle United had in September, not to mention the huge problems off it, any manager in the world would have had their work cut out to stop the slide.

NOBODY will be getting too carried away with it but as far as Newcastle United's recovery is concerned the three points picked up against West Brom represent the moment that the Magpies beat the count and climbed back to their feet again.

Floored by Sunderland in their last game and sent tumbling to the canvas, Newcastle probably threw a few punches as well in the game with the Baggies - and now have the bit between their teeth once more.

And in the middle of it all was the man with so much to prove, Joey Barton.

NEWCASTLE United climbed out of the relegation zone tonight with a narrow victory over West Bromwich Albion.

It was Joe Kinnear's first victory in charge of Newcastle and the club's first win since August as a penalty from Joey Barton and a stooping header from Oba Martins clinched the three points.

United made several changes to the team that had lost against Sunderland on Saturday with Jose Enrique replacing Sebastien Bassong at left-back.

The blue Monday feeling on Tyneside ended on somewhat of a positive note at Victoria Park tonight as one for the future in Samuel Ameobi gave evidence that he could follow in the footsteps of his big brother Shola against Hartlepool United.

In the wonderfully named Totesportcasino.com Cup it was 16-year-old Sammy who kept cup hopes alive for the second string with a double blast his big bro would have been proud of.

United had to fight back from behind though to do it after Hartlepool hit back from a goal down.