Karl Darlow says Newcastle United are NOT on a revenge mission against Nottingham Forest – as their sole focus is taking three points.
The club is second in the Championship ahead of tomorrow night’s home game.
Newcastle, beaten at St James’s Park by Sheffield Wednesday on Boxing Day, had two players sent off in their controversial defeat at the City Ground earlier this month.
Darlow saved two penalties against his old club in United’s 2-1 loss at the City Ground, where Jonjo Shelvey and Paul Dummett were dismissed.
But the goalkeeper says the players are only focused on getting back to winning ways.
Asked about their motivation, Darlow said: “Not really revenge, it’s just a game we need to look at winning.
“We need to win to ensure we get back on top and stay on top.
“It’s just another game where we need to get the three points and go on another winning run.”
Darlow, signed from Forest in the summer of 2014, made two superb saves against Wednesday, whose head coach, Carlos Carvalhal, named him as Newcastle’s “best player”.
And the 26-year-old is keen to get back on the field.
“I’m looking forward to it,” said Darlow.
“It’s going to be another tough Championship game, and it’s just around the corner for us, which is good because we need to bounce back from this loss and put in a performance and get another good run of victories.”
Meanwhile, Darlow’s hoping his goalkeeping heroics will fend off competition from fit-again Rob Elliot in the New Year.
Elliot is back playing after recovering from the cruciate ligament injury he suffered on international duty with the Republic of Ireland in March.
And the challenge for Darlow is to maintain his form for the second half of the campaign for second-placed United, who are two points behind Championship leaders Brighton and Hove Albion.
“Hopefully, no one is going to take the gloves off me,” said Darlow. “At the moment, it’s just about taking it game by game and putting in performances every week.
“I want to make the manager has to keep picking me each week. I have to just keep going, and make sure I do enough every game.”