"This was the most important result of the season without a doubt, and it became even more important when we learned that Liverpool had won," he said after Newcastle's 3-1 win over Charlton.
"It wasn't a problem to us. We expected Liverpool to win anyway. I'd said in the dressing room with 20 minutes left in their game 'Don't put it past them to score a late goal.'
"Everyone has been saying it is going to be a two horse race between us and them and I still think it will be."