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Moussa Sissoko believes that Newcastle United’s soaring confidence can help them seal survival as they prepare to write the final chapter of a tough season.

The French international started the campaign as a frustrated figure being played out of position, but he hopes to end it with the captain’s armband on and having led the Magpies to safety.

The fact that there is even talk of Newcastle still staying up at this stage feels like a miracle given the Magpies were written off just under a month ago after back-to-back defeats at Norwich then Southampton.

Sissoko’s last interview with the Chronicle came when the Magpies were six points adrift of Norwich and had a worse goal difference.

Just three weeks on from Sissoko’s passionate claim that players “do care”, United go into Saturday’s game two points ahead of the Canaries and knowing they could even be safe by next week if results go their way. Reflecting on the improvement, Sissoko told the Chronicle: “In football anything can happen.

“So now we are all motivated with a couple of games to go. That’s good – we just need to keep fighting right until the end.”

So what was is the big difference between now and then? And why could Newcastle find this level of performance under Steve McClaren when he was fighting to save his job?

Sissoko said: “It was the confidence. We have the quality and we have the same players, it’s a confidence thing.

“When you are losing every week you’re in a bad mood and it’s difficult. When you try something in a game when it’s like that or take a shot, you might miss because your head is not very well.

“Now, we are much better and when you look at the Premier League table we’ve won some games. Everyone is finding it easier and that’s good. That’s football.”

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Newcastle players looked like a team that were dreading games not too long ago but Sissoko says that he and his team-mates simply can’t wait for 3pm to come on Saturday.

He said: “When you are winning you just want the next game to be as soon as possible. We know we are still in a bad moment but we just want to play.

“We had a good week this week and we trained very well. We have another training session before we travel to Aston Villa.

“It’s going to be a tough game but we’ll do everything we can to come away with the three points.”

United players’ only issue now is occupying their minds in between fixtures.

Sissoko said: “After Saturday we had a day off and we spent it with families to relax a little bit. Then after that we trained all week and there’s been a lot of concentration.

“We haven’t changed anything, we just train hard and we’ll be ready on Saturday.”

And when asked how McClaren’s training sessions differed from Benitez, Sissoko said: “When Steve McClaren was here the training sessions were also good. But there’s a different mentality here now and the system is different, as are the training sessions.

“Every manager has his own training. But yes we all train well and enjoy so that’s good. We just need to keep fighting until the end.

“We can do a massive thing for everybody and I’m sure we’ll do it.”