Newcastle goalkeeper Tim Krul is in no mood to be patted on the back as he and his team-mates continue to defy their doubters.

Krul: Top six the target

The Magpies climbed to fifth place in the Premier League table as a result of a hard-fought victory over Blackburn at Ewood Park on Wednesday night.

Krul, whose penalty save from David Dunn proved crucial, is thrilled to see the men from Tyneside continuing to confound their critics.

However, despite having seen his club defy suggestions their fine start to the season would prove something of a flash in the pan, the 23-year-old Dutchman is refusing to sit back and enjoy himself.

Krul said: "We really want to push on for the second half of the season because we are up there and the chance is there.

"We really have to push on. I don't think we should rest on our laurels, we just have to really crack on now.

"We have got a fantastic squad and if we can prove we are a top-six team at the end of the season, that will attract more players to the club and then we can really push on."

Alan Pardew's squad will be boosted for Sunday's game by their sole January signing, former Freiburg striker Papiss Demba Cisse, who is available for the first time following his return, along with 15-goal leading scorer Demba Ba, from Senegal's ill-fated African Nations Cup campaign.

With Ivory Coast midfielder Cheick Tiote still involved in Equatorial Guinea and Gabon, the Magpies will be stronger still in a few weeks' time.

Krul said: "Demba has been amazing, and to get his mate with him, that's a bonus and I am looking forward to seeing them both back.

"Hopefully Cheick won't be too much longer because he is a fantastic player for us as well."

Newcastle's current standing - they entered the weekend with only Manchester City, Manchester United, Tottenham and Chelsea ahead of them and both Arsenal and Liverpool in their wake - has confounded those who expected them to slide down the table after their 11-game unbeaten start to the season ended.

Krul has been one of their stand-out performers to date along with skipper Fabricio Coloccini, Tiote and Ba, although the Den Haag-born keeper insists the plaudits have to be shared around.

He said: "The whole team has been amazing. I am glad everybody is getting praise.

"The defence in the first 11 games was amazing because we were unbeaten.

"It's great. We are working hard at it and we stand fifth in the league now, so we are doing great."

Manager Alan Pardew could hardly be more pleased with his side's return from their 23 league games to date, but like Krul will allow no let-up, especially in the wake of last Saturday's disappointing 1-0 FA Cup fourth-round defeat at Brighton.

He said: "I am really proud of this team. They have worked exceptionally hard and they deserve all the plaudits they are getting at the moment.

"But they have still got 15 games to see it out. We have seen teams switch off when they get to this figure, 36, 39 points, so we have got to make sure that doesn't happen."

Pardew, of course, was able to breathe a huge sigh of relief at 11pm on Tuesday night when the winter transfer window closed with none of his big names having departed despite months of speculation, although he insisted he was never really concerned.

He said: "If I'm honest, I did expect it, but I didn't want to say anything after what happened with Andy Carroll.

"We have had a really good week on the back of the Brighton result because that Blackburn away win has really set us up for Sunday.

"If we can get a win there, it would be a massive boost for this football club."