EDDIE Howe is urging his Newcastle United players to be relentless as the Magpies look to continue their remarkable charge up the Premier League table.

Newcastle's 3-0 win over Wolves on Wednesday night - a ninth successive victory in all competitions - lifted Howe's side into the top four for the first time this season.

While leaders Liverpool are nine points clear with a game in hand, second place Arsenal are only five points ahead of the Magpies, who will look to extend their winning stretch when they host rivals Bournemouth on Saturday lunchtime.

Newcastle are looking down on Manchester City and Chelsea and Champions League qualification is now an obvious and very realistic target for Howe's side this season.

"I think anything is possible, but we have to get results and we have to get them consistently," said the head coach.

“We struggled early season with in and out form and up and down results. This has been a really good run, it's propelled us to a good position, but we need to carry it on.

“I don't know if it sends a message [to rivals], I just think we are doing what we need to do and that won't change in the respect that we've got to try to win games, we've got to try to put points consistently together.

“We're now still in a busy period, we've got a massive game coming up. We need to recover well and then just focus on that."

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As well as climbing up the league table, Newcastle are 90 minutes away from a second Carabao Cup final appearance in three years and have safely advanced into the fourth round of the FA Cup. And Howe is encouraging the fans to dream.

“Absolutely. I’ve got no issues with that," he said.

"That’s absolutely what they have to do, and I want the environment and the atmosphere here to be as good as it can be for us and as hard as it can be for the opposition. The supporters were magnificent today, and they have been for a long time now.”

Attention now turns to the Bournemouth home game.

Howe said: “Our form here is so important to us. It’s been the bedrock since I’ve been here, our form has been really strong. It’s easy to say, but it’s difficult to deliver, that has to continue because we gain so much confidence from playing here.

"It looks like the players feel comfortable in the environment, they enjoy playing here and showcasing what we have to offer in front of our supporters. It’s a two-way thing."