Newcastle United manager Alan Pardew has set his sights on emulating his side's success of last season.

Newcastle surprised many by launching a serious challenge for a top four spot, and Pardew has managed to keep his key players at the club despite a busy summer transfer window.

Pardew admitted that it was difficult to keep that group of players together given the financial lure of other clubs, but is hopeful that they can now kick on and at least equal last season's fifth-place finish.

"Although we are a big club, financially we are not as big as the others," Pardew told Sky Sports News.

"It is difficult to get some stability in your squad when players are being touted around. For us, it was very important to keep that group together.

"We worked hard last summer to bring them here, they did terrifically well, we finished fifth and we want to do the same again or even better."

Pardew will watch the Magpies' next two games from the stands as he serves a touchline ban for pushing an assistant.