Newcastle United players are behind boss Alan Pardew says Daryl Janmaat

Janmaat and his team-mates take on Manchester City in a fourth-round Capital One Cup tie tonight after back-to-back Premier League wins.

Those victories lifted the club out of the relegation zone – and eased the pressure on United manager Alan Pardew.

Janmaat, one of the club’s nine summer signings, says the performances against Tottenham Hotspur and Leicester City have shown that the players do not want a change of manager.

“We want him – we do not want another manager,” said Janmaat.

“If you lose games then it is normal (that the manager is under pressure), but now I expect the pressure to ease on him.

“We needed points and we need to be higher in the table.

“Two wins in a row after a draw has been very good for us, but we still have to improve and now we have confidence to do that.

“The manager was under a lot of pressure, so it’s nice that we have given him those points.

“The pressure has eased. We want him as the manager.”

Pardew admitted he had had “strong words” for his team at the half-time break at White Hart Lane on Sunday, with his team trailed Tottenham 1-0.

But second-half goals from Ayoze Perez and Sammy Ameobi saw Newcastle win at the stadium for the second successive season.

“After the first half he was angry,” said Janmaat.

“He said ‘if you play like that you cannot win games’. Afterwards, he gave us a compliment and was very passionate. He said ‘if you play like that you will win games’.

“The first half was not good from us – we knew this in the dressing-room. We knew the second half had to be much better.

“The early goal (from Ameobi) gave us confidence, and we played very well.

“We deserved to win on the performance of the second half.

“It was nice for him (Perez) to score the winner, but it was also a great cross from (Remy) Cabella.”

While the league is the club’s over-riding priority, Janmaat says United’s players are also targeting cup success this season.

The Holland international is fully aware of the club’s proud cup history – and the appetite for a trophy on Tyneside given that Newcastle’s last major honour, the Fairs Cup, was won in 1969.

“It is a prize and Newcastle have not won one since 1969,” said the 25-year-old.

“It would be a great party if we won a prize, I think. The fans want that very much.”

United, however, must somehow get past cup holders City, who beat Sunderland in last season’s final.

“City have a big squad and a great squad – even their second (team) is very good,” said Janmaat. “It will be a tough game, but if we play like we did in the second half, then of course we have a chance.

“We’ve had a great start to the week.

“ We want to win the next two now.”