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London - Newcastle coach Alan Shearer will chase his second win in a row on Saturday in a late bid to avoid relegation that is being aided by Hull's alarming slide.
The Magpies captured their first Premier League victory under their former striker by beating fellow struggler Middlesbrough 3-1 on Monday, climbing out of the relegation zone and dropping Hull into the last three for the first time this season.
"We've got the feel-good factor back but I've said to (the players), 'Let's not go back in there again,"' Shearer said on Friday. "If we don't carry that on, it will be wasted."
Newcastle's late revival, after taking only two points from its previous five games under Shearer, contrasts with Hull's dramatic fall.
Playing topflight football for the first time in its 105-year history, Hull has slid from being among the leaders in late October to 18th after a run of two wins, eight draws and 17 defeats. The team plays at Bolton on Saturday.
With only two rounds to go, the struggle to avoid relegation from the Premier League remains open with no team yet sure to go down and six clubs still in danger.
Newcastle and Hull have 34 points with Newcastle higher because of a superior goal difference. They both have three more points than last-place West Bromwich Albion and next-to-last Middlesbrough.
Sunderland is also in danger in 16th place with 36 points and Portsmouth, which has 38, could also be caught.
It's likely two teams will know their fate this weekend.
West Brom hosts second-place Liverpool knowing it has lost its last 11 meetings with the Reds, and Middlesbrough has a tough game at home to fifth-place Aston Villa. The only realistic hope for these two clubs to survive is if both Hull and Newcastle lose and the relegation struggles continues into the final round.
Shearer hopes his team will still have the momentum from Monday's win over neighbor Boro in its home game against Fulham.
He is also confident that Michael Owen will soon end his 10-game run without a goal, even though Shearer's decision to replace him with Obafemi Martins against Middlesbrough led to the Nigerian striker scoring and pushing the team to victory.
"My mind will never change with Michael Owen," Shearer said. "If you give him chances, eventually he will score goals. I have no doubt about that."
Shearer also said that Owen had laughed off speculation that he might retire at age 29.
"He doesn't need it, doesn't deserve it," Shearer said. "The stories that are out this morning are totally ludicrous and totally untrue as far as he's concerned, and he has laughed them off.
"But Michael Owen is a big-name player and sometimes will attract headlines."
Hull will be without injured winger Bernard Mendy and suspended striker Caleb Folan for the visit to Bolton, but defender Kamil Zayatte hopes to recover from the head injury he received in last weekend's 2-1 loss to Stoke.
Middlesbrough has David Wheater back in defense for the game against Villa at the Riverside, but striker Afonso Alves is out after injuring his foot against Newcastle.
West Brom revived its faint hopes with recent victories over Sunderland and Wigan but is seeking its first league victory over Liverpool since 1981.
