Papiss Cisse anticipating 'extraordinary' finish to Newcastle season

Papiss Cissé has made a fantastic start to his Newcastle career (PA)

Newcastle striker Papiss Cisse is preparing himself for an "extraordinary" conclusion to his first season in English football.

The 26-year-old Senegal international only signed for the Magpies on January 18 and did not make his first appearance for the club until February 5 on his return from the African Nations Cup.

However, he opened his goalscoring account that day with a winner against Aston Villa, and has not looked back since.

His strike in yesterday's 2-0 victory over Bolton at St James' Park was his 10th in just nine games, and left the Tyneside club sitting in fifth place in the Barclays Premier League table with a genuine chance of Champions League qualification.

Manager Alan Pardew later conceded for the first time, publicly at least, that a top-four finish was a possibility, and while Cisse admits the odds are against the club, he is relishing the chance to make it a reality.

He said: "Like the manager says, it is possible, but it is only a possibility.

"We have got five matches left and we have to work really, really hard in the week so we are ready for the weekend, and then we will see if we can get there.

"We have only got five matches left, so we are going to take it match by match.

"But we have really got momentum behind us, so I still think we can do something really extraordinary."

Like Cisse, French midfielder Yohan Cabaye, who turned his back on Champions League football with Lille to join Newcastle during the summer, is taking a measured approach to the concluding month or so of a season which has exceeded all expectations.

He said: "The team spirit is good and we just want to keep going, to keep winning. It's good for the team.

"We have one month to go and it is good to go to the training ground to work for something.

"Now we have the Champions League as a target, and it's very, very exciting to play for that.

"We are very, very happy. The results yesterday were great for us. We keep winning and now we are with Tottenham with the same points, so with five games to go, why not?"

The Magpies' fifth successive victory, coupled with Tottenham's home defeat by Norwich and Chelsea's draw at Fulham, left them level on points with Spurs in fourth place and two points better off than Champions League semi-finalists Chelsea.

But if it was clinched by Cisse's 83rd-minute strike from substitute Shola Ameobi's cross, the ball was set rolling by mercurial Frenchman Hatem Ben Arfa, whose stunning opener 10 minutes earlier had illuminated a previously sterile encounter in which Bolton might have themselves taken the lead but for keeper Tim Krul.

Ben Arfa's delicious flick and turn on to Cabaye's pass inside his own half left Sam Ricketts for dead, and Mark Davies, David Wheater, Tim Ream and keeper Adam Bogdan could do nothing to stop him as he raced more than 60 yards before sliding the ball into the bottom corner.

Cabaye, who hopes to be joined by his compatriot in the France squad for the Euro 2012 finals, said: "That was the real Hatem Ben Arfa and fortunately he is playing with us.

"He is in our squad and he is a different-class player. He works hard every day for that, to be fit for us, and he has the national team as a target as well.

"There are still five games and if he plays like that in the last five games, I think he has a big chance to get into the squad."

For once, Cisse was beaten to the headlines by his team-mate, but asked whose was the better goal, he said with a smile: "Hatem's. It was fabulous, it was a magnificent goal."

Newcastle have no fixture this weekend because of Chelsea's involvement in the FA Cup semi-finals, and will return to action on April 21 at home to Stoke.

Bolton also have a fortnight to reflect on a battling display on Tyneside before they welcome Swansea to the Reebok Stadium with skipper Kevin Davies now back after injury.

Manager Owen Coyle said: "It was time to bring him back in. He acquitted himself well, brought us up the park and looked a real threat, as did all the lads.

"They really gave a big effort considering what was asked of them so soon after playing on Saturday, and that will stand us in good stead, that spirit, in the remaining games to come."

PA