The Magpies blew a chance to secure their Premier League safety as a second-half blitz from QPR overturned their lead at Loftus Road, though they are still above Hull City
Newcastle manager John Carver admits that his side have too often been "just not good enough" after they blew a chance to guarantee Premier League safety in a 2-1 defeat by already-relegated QPR.
The Magpies took the lead at Loftus Road through Emmanuel Riviere's first top-flight goal, with the Rs looking poor, but Chris Ramsey's side turned around the game with a much-improved performance immediately after half-time.
The loss leaves Newcastle two points above 18th-placed Hull City going into their final match of the season against West Ham but Carver denies that his team "bottled it".
"I'm not sure that we bottled it," he told reporters afterwards. "We had a 10-minute mad spell of the game.
"I think, under the conditions, we've given everything. We've had a go but sometimes the quality's not there and we're just not good enough, and you saw that today. You think you're in control of something for 80 minutes but, in that 10 minutes, you take your eye off the ball."
While Hull must take on Manchester United on the final day, Newcastle have their future in their own hands at St James's Park, and Carver is keen for the Geordie faithful to make a difference despite their frustrations with the club's slip towards the drop-zone in recent months.
"It is the biggest game this club has had in a long long time," he remarked. "I want the same atmosphere as we had against West Brom a fortnight ago because it could be the fans who get us across the line.
"There'll be a lot people saying 'why should they?' but they want this team to stay in the Premier League and, if they can give us that extra 5 or 10 per cent to stay in the Premier League, we'll need it."
QPR boss Chris Ramsey, meanwhile, is optimistic about his chances of being given the top job at Loftus Road on a full-time basis as his side aim to bounce back from their relegation.
"[My future isn't certain] until the contract's signed, not till everything's finalised, [but] I think I've got a good chance of getting the job," he said.
"I've been in [the game] for a long time and things change, don't they, so [...] hopefully I'll get the job and spend the summer planning for next season."
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