Alan Shearer reveals his 'slightly concerned' views over Newcastle United's Premier League status

A run of just two wins in 13 league matches has landed the Magpies in dangerous territory – 17th in the table and just six points above the bottom three.

Steve Bruce’s blushes were spared on Wednesday night after Fulham missed the opportunity to close the gap to four points with a 1-1 draw at Burnley.

However, that gap can still be shortened before United are next in action as Scott Parker’s side play host to bottom side Sheffield United on Saturday.

But despite relegation fears growing on Tyneside, Shearer believes his former club will retain their top-flight status, although does express some slight worry.

"Fulham had a great result at Everton, played really well,” Shearer told The Athletic’s Pod on the Tyne podcast. "They might have found a goal scorer – I think that’s the one thing Fulham have been missing.

"If you look at their games, a lot of them have been drawn and you just think with someone who can put the ball in the back of the net, someone who can sniff out a chance out from six, seven, eight yards then they can be a different team.

"From their point of view, (it’s) very good but from a Newcastle point of view, that’s not good, particularly when we have injuries ourselves and losing our best player and our important striker who can put the ball in the back of the net.

"(I’m) slightly concerned but do I think we will go down? No I don’t but I’m not sitting comfortably, no.”

Shearer, Newcastle’s record goalscorer, was also asked about Dwight Gayle’s role in the 2-0 defeat at Chelsea on Monday.

Gayle was chosen as the man to fill the void left by Callum Wilson, who was ruled out for up to eight weeks with a hamstring injury last week, but struggled to make an impact at Stamford Bridge.

Rather than play as out-and-out striker, the 30-year-old featured mostly on the right wing, a role Shearer says he is simply not suited to.

He added: "If you look at the system change Newcastle have had over the past few games, it’s playing with two split strikers and (Miguel) Almiron in behind. At times, even Callum Wilson finds himself on the right-hand side and having to track back a bit when he was playing.

"Certainly that last night did not suit Dwight Gayle. Dwight Gayle is a striker who wants to get in and around the six-yard box.

"It would probably be too harsh to judge him on last night’s performance because it’ll be slightly easier and better for him and the team I think if they were to play at home against a lesser team, perhaps against Wolves will be a better parameter to judge him on.”

The fixtures don’t get any easier for Newcastle this week, with a trip to Manchester United next up on Sunday evening.