LONDON: Newcastle United's long suffering supporters left St James' Park on Sunday evening jubilant but wondering whether their team had really turned a corner after a 2-0 victory over Liverpool.

For all the excitement engendered by a third Premier League win of the season -- previous experience suggests that the hard part for Steve McClaren's team is building on an improved performance.

Immediately after the long awaited first victory, a 6-2 thumping of Norwich City in mid-October, they slumped to a 3-0 defeat by bitter local rivals Sunderland.

Then after a backs-to-the-wall win at Bournemouth, fans were left fuming by another 3-0 loss, at home to Leicester City.

None of that augurs well for a trip next weekend to fifth-placed Tottenham and McClaren said his players badly need to build on their renewed self-belief rather than throwing it away.

"We've come to this position where you know what we have to do to win," he told reporters after Newcastle moved up one place to 18th, still in the relegation places.

"You'd like to say this is the start but we've got to maintain it. It won't be easy next week at Spurs."

By the time of that game on Sunday, Sunderland, who are slowly improving under the equally experienced Sam Allardyce, could have climbed back above their neighbours after a home game against Watford.

But Newcastle's triumph has put them within one more win of the four teams in front of them -- Bournemouth, Norwich City, Swansea City and champions Chelsea -- if only they can capitalise on it this time.