Emmanuel Riviere: 'Points more important than goals'

Emmanuel Riviere has insisted that securing the points that will guarantee Newcastle United's safety is more important than ending his season-long goal drought.

The 25-year-old French striker has not scored for the Magpies, who have lost their last seven games to fall to within five points of the relegation zone, in 19 Premier League appearances since joining from AS Monaco last summer.

"At the moment I am not thinking about myself, I only think about the team," he is quoted as saying by The Chronicle. "We are in a bad position. I am trying to help.

"I am working hard to score and to get the team a win. I have to focus on the team because the team is the most important. I need to work to help them as much as I can.

"But I don't think about myself, just the team. The team needs points."

Riviere, who cost Newcastle £5m from Monaco, started last weekend's 3-2 defeat to Swansea City.