Newcastle United boss Alan Pardew believes his side will improve their Premier League performance this season without their Europa League commitments of the last campaign.
The Magpies finished 16th in the top flight, narrowly avoiding relegation to the Championship as the rigours of a lengthy season took their toll on Pardew's side.
He told the club's official website: "Last year with the length of the campaign, the Europa League and everything else, sometimes we were in games where we started to lose our way towards the end of them.
"This year we want that to be in reverse - push the team so hard so that in the last 15 minutes we are still right at it and able to give it everything we've got.
"And we can do that, if we have got the levels to do it, which is what we are working towards. With no Europa League this season I'm confident that will help us."
Newcastle have yet to make any additions to their squad this summer.
Simon Sinclair
