Eddie Howe has stressed that he is focused on making Newcastle United 'the best team' they can be rather than taking too much notice of the Magpies' relegation rivals.
Newcastle moved within a point of safety following a spirited 1-0 victory against Leeds United at Elland Road on Saturday.
The win, Newcastle's first on the road since May, was all the more important after Norwich City thumped Watford at Vicarage Road to move out of the relegation zone on Friday night.
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Goalscorer Jonjo Shelvey was among those who watched the game from his hotel room and the midfielder admitted the Canaries' 3-0 win 'put pressure on us to go out and get the three points'.
Howe also tuned in at various points, but the Newcastle head coach is ultimately trying to change his side's mentality - on and off the field.
"I saw bits of the game," he told reporters on Zoom. "I try not to focus on people we are challenging with at the bottom of the league. I try not to focus on that.
"I try to put my energy into us. I think that's the best use of my emotional energies that I possess so I always try and focus on our players, our training, and making sure we're the best team we can be rather than anyone else."
Rather than prioritising the opposition's strengths, like some of his predecessors did, Howe has also preferred to highlight how his side can hurt teams when he speaks to his players.
That stance has not changed whether Newcastle are facing league leaders Man City or bottom of the table Burnley, and it has ultimately helped give the players renewed belief that they can stay up.
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