Ayoze Eyes Winning Start

By Tom Easterby - Newcastle United Club Reporter

Ayoze Perez says Newcastle United must start the season as they mean to go on as they prepare to face Fulham in their Sky Bet Championship opener on Friday night (7.45pm kick-off).

Rafa Benitez's side head to Craven Cottage looking to kick-start their promotion push with victory over Slavisa Jokanovic's men.

And while Spanish forward Perez is anticipating a challenging encounter in the capital, he says it's vital that the Magpies start the campaign well and get points on the board early on.

"It's the first game, and it'll be a tough game. It's going to be really tough all the way through, but Fulham are a good team, and we're starting in their stadium," the 23-year-old told nufc.co.uk.

"We're going to be tough in the same way, trying to get the three points, putting in the work and trying to win.

"It's really important to start winning, pick up points and try to be on top of the league. I think it's more important how you finish than how you start, but it's still important to get the points.

"You have to get to know the league, getting into the winning way and that's what we have to try to do."

Perez finished last season with six Premier League goals, just one less than the total he managed during his debut campaign in England after joining the Magpies from Tenerife in the summer of 2014.

And he said that while he's aiming to be among the goals once again this term, helping the team secure promotion back to the top flight if his primary objective for the next nine months.

"Of course I want to play as much as possible, and in my position I have to score. Hopefully I can score a lot of goals and help the team," he said.

"But the main target is to come straight back into the Premier League."