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Taylor Calls For 12th Man Against Fulham
Written by Newcastle Utd
Homegrown defender Steven Taylor says Sunday's home game against Fulham is "vital" and hopes a big crowd can cheer United on to three points
By Dan King - Newcastle United Club Reporter
Nobody needs to tell Steven Taylor about the importance of Sunday's Barclays Premier League clash against Fulham.
He was in the starting XI when ten-man Newcastle lost 1-0 to the Cottagers in May 2009 - a result which had huge ramifications the following week when United were relegated at Villa Park.
Now the Magpies once again find themselves at the wrong end of the table as the same opponents visit St. James' Park for arguably the Club's most crucial home game since Alan Shearer's side fell to a Diomansy Kamara goal almost four years ago.
But this time around, with the backing of their loyal supporters, Taylor believes the team can get the right result and go a long way towards securing their top-flight status.
"That game's in the past now," said the 27-year-old defender who is one of only three survivors from the team which took to the field that afternoon.
"It's a new team with new players and for us it's all about what we do as a team. We just need to make sure we perform.
"The players are going to go into the Fulham game with massive belief and confidence. It's going to be a difficult game but we believe in ourselves.
"I think every game from now until the end of the season is going to be important. We have to win games, it's as simple as that.
"You want three points on the board as players - and we can get them."
In the league, Newcastle have won only once away from Tyneside this term so their home form is key to their hopes of staying in the top flight.
And while the upcoming Tyne-Wear derby against Sunderland sold out within six hours of tickets going on sale, Taylor is also hoping for a big crowd to roar the Magpies on against Fulham.
"The next few games are vital for this football club," he told nufc.co.uk. "But as long as we stick together, we won't go far wrong.
"We'll need energy, loads of that, and to be powerful and we've got to keep pushing and pressing them.
"And we're going to need our home crowd behind us every single game now - lively, loud and horrible for the other team.
"The atmosphere against Anzhi (Makhachkala last month) was the best I've heard in a long time. We need that and we'll need the fans behind us.
"Even if we go a goal behind we need them to keep going and going and going because playing in front of them can really benefit us."
Click here to buy tickets for Sunday's fixture against Fulham