Eddie Howe has revealed he has been doing 'lots of psychological work' with Newcastle United's 'really motivated' players as the Magpies attempt to defy the odds and pull off a great escape.
Newcastle finally won their first game of the season on Saturday after Howe's spirited side beat relegation rivals Burnley 1-0 at St James' Park.
Although Newcastle have some brutal fixtures to come over the festive period, the black-and-whites have renewed belief after moving off the bottom of the table and closing the gap to safety to just three points.
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No team have ever stayed up after failing to win any of their opening 14 Premier League games, but Howe has challenged his players to 'change history'.
"I'm a firm believer in psychology," the Newcastle head coach told reporters on Zoom. "It's so important for professional athletes and in team sports.
"You have to take to the pitch believing you can win. Sometimes, you have to actually win to believe it, to feel it.
"We've done lots of psychological work with the players. There's probably not one thing. It's a combination of lots of things and I've always worked that way to try and get the group to think in a certain way, to believe in certain things, to highlight the power and importance of certain themes that we're trying to get into them.
"But I have to say I've seen a group that have been really motivated and willing to give their all for the team. I think you can see that.
"We didn't carry anyone out of possession; everyone, to a man, knew the importance of defending and putting their bodies on the line and we got our rewards."
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