Newcastle United right-back Daryl Janmaat has insisted that it is imperative that the club do not fall into another relegation battle in the Premier League next season.

The Magpies only kept hold of their top-flight status on the final day of the campaign in May with a 2-0 win over West Ham United.

For the 2015-16 season, the North-East outfit will be under the guidance of new head coach Steve McClaren, who will oversee his first league game against Southampton at St James' Park on August 8.

"We have to make sure [the relegation battle] doesn't happen again - that's the main thing here," The Shields Gazette quotes Janmaat as saying.

"We didn't start the season well, then we had a great run. I think we were fifth in the table at one point. It was like a rollercoaster. We lost eight games in a row, and that was a hard thing. That is one thing that can't happen."

Newcastle won 10 games out of 38 last season.

Written by
Danielle Joynson