Isaac Hayden admits there is a "mentality problem" at Newcastle United.

The midfielder made the admission speaking to the club's website.

He reasoned: "It feels like we got to lockdown, played a couple of games, hit the 40-points mark and it was done and dusted. I'm going to be honest with you, that mentality is a problem at the club. It's a mentality issue. It's not something which can just be switched off, it has to be worked on. Mentally, the club as a whole has been happy with survival and that's the shift that needs to happen. Get to 40 points and you should be kicking on for 50.

"We finished 13th again (for a second season running). Is that great? No. Is it the end of the world? No. At least it's something. At least you're not scraping around, relying on the last day of the season to stay up. So you go, 'OK, next year — what's the aim? Is it to be the same? Or is the aim to be better? Where are we going with this?' It was very important that it was going in the right direction this summer for me to sign."