The Magpies, who face a tricky trip to take on fellow Barclays Premier League strugglers Fulham this weekend, are up to 14th after Monday's home win against Aston Villa.

That success was the latest heartening outcome for Kinnear's side - a second successive victory after only one in their first nine fixtures of the campaign - and Owen, for one, is keeping the faith.

"We know we're a decent team and we were in a temporary position," Newcastle's out-of-favour England forward told BBC Radio 5 Live.

"If we have a decent run to the end of the season - and we'd expect that with the players we have - then fifth, sixth or seventh is by no means impossible."

Owen sees Sunday's trip to Craven Cottage as another winnable opportunity.

"With our back-to-back wins, we're going there thinking we're capable of taking something from the game," he added.

"It's still early in the season, and a couple of wins shoots you up the table. The last two results have shown that - and we are confident we can continue to climb."

Fulham, meanwhile, need the points badly after becoming the latest team to fall foul of Everton's uncanny knack of scoring important late goals - ending up 1-0 losers at Goodison Park, where Louis Saha got the 87th-minute winner.

The Toffees will be hoping for something similar when they travel to London tomorrow to take on West Ham.

Defeat for David Moyes' men would see them leapfrogged by the Hammers in mid-table.

But one of the key contributors to Everton's renewed durability appears to be defender Joseph Yobo - and Moyes is beginning to like what he sees.

Nigeria centre-half Yobo missed much of pre-season because of international commitments and then had to deal with the kidnap of his older brother in his native country.

But he forced his way back into the team at the end of last month, and Moyes said: "Joe has started to play much better in the last couple of weeks.

"He had a long summer playing for Nigeria, then he had those problems with his brother.

"He was then probably put back into the team sooner than we would have liked - but we had no other option, because we were really short of players.

"When he came back in, he had not got his fitness levels right - and his concentration wasn't what it should have been - but I have seen a big improvement recently.

"He's doing much better. Joe has been one of our most consistent players, and we want him to start showing the really strong form he has produced over the last couple of years."

West Ham manager Gianfranco Zola is already planning for the longer term - confirming he intends to sell players in the January transfer window, even though he has received no ultimatum to cut costs from his club's owner.

The Hammers are owned by Icelander Bjorgolfur Gudmundsson, whose personal fortune has been hard hit by the global finance crisis.

"The situation hasn't changed, even though it seems there is a story about this every day. I have been assured that the club hasn't got any problems," said Zola.

"We will have a big squad when we have everybody back from injury, so I may need to sell some players because not every one will get a game - but I don't have concerns.

"My job is to work with this team and improve it. For this year everything I need is in this squad."

Portsmouth and Sunderland - two teams who could do with arresting their recent slumps - meet at the Stadium of Light tomorrow, while Stoke trek north to Wigan for a chance to build on last week's surprise win at home to Arsenal.

Second-bottom West Brom will do well to bring any points back from Anfield tomorrow - but on Sunday, Middlesbrough may fancy their chances a little more at Villa.