Keith Treacy says the Blades remain in defiant mood, despite the current six-game winless run and insists cutting out sloppy goals is the number one priority.

Treacy also says the team spirit is as strong as ever and believes a positive is United's ability to create chances:

"We have to beat whoever is in front of us so it doesn't really matter who we are playing. The lads are all in it together and we are determined to get out of this current run.

"We have had a lot of chances in games and would be more concerned if we weren't creating them. Silly mistakes are costing us defensively, but that isn't the defence, it is the whole team as a unit. On the flip side of conceding goals, we are scoring plenty and maybe we need to work on balancing that out more."

Looking ahead to Monday's live Sky encounter, the on-loan Blackburn winger knows the Blades are only a couple of wins away from getting right back in the mix, as he prepares to meet a couple of familiar faces in the Toon Army's ranks:

"In this division if you win two games you are near the top and if you lose a few you end up fighting for your life, we need to get a couple of wins and try and climb the league again.

"It is going to be another tough game, Newcastle are a strong outfit and a good passing side, who have adapted well to life in the Championship.

"I am good friends with Zurab (Khizanishvili) and I also know Danny Simpson quite well."