By Matthew Jones
August 11 2002

Newcastle ace Craig Bellamy believes United must finish in the top four of the Premiership again if they want to be considered among the elite. Newcastle ace Craig Bellamy believes United must finish in the top four of the Premiership again if they want to be considered among the elite.

Bellamy's goals helped fire the Magpies into the Champions League with an impressive fourth-placed finish in the Premiership last season as Sir Bobby Robson's side emerged as the surprise package of the season.

The Welsh international is eagerly anticipating his first taste of Champions League football but is warning his team-mates to maintain their focus to do well in the Premiership.

Bellamy said: "We did extremely well last season to finish fourth. We surprised a few people, and we stayed up there when people expected us to drop away.

"What we have to do now is set our sights on doing that again and anything above fourth would obviously be brilliant.

"Teams like your Arsenals, Manchester Uniteds and Liverpools are up there season in, season out, and that's what we have to do.

"You've got to finish up among the big boys for a couple of seasons running and show some consistency rather than coming fourth one year and mid-table the next."

The former Coventry man is certain United can continue to build under Robson and believes the Toon Army are in for another exciting season.

"Our squad isn't quite as big as the top three teams from last season but we've made a couple of new signings and there is a lot of quality here," he added on the club's website. "I'm not saying we are going to go out and win the Champions League and everything else we're playing in next season but I am confident we will give a good account of ourselves."