Carver – The only way should be up for Newcastle United

The club was 10th in the Premier League ahead of this afternoon’s game against leaders Chelsea at Stamford Bridge.

Newcastle finished there last season, and the club’s aim is again a top-half finish.

But Carver – who wants to succeed departed manager Alan Pardew – feels the club’s aim must be to carry on up the table and challenge for European football.

Asked what United’s aims should be, Carver said: “To get as high up the table as we can.

“We finished fifth a couple of years ago, and that was fantastic. So why can’t we push fifth, sixth, seventh, eighth?

“There’s all this talk that they (the club) are happy to sit in the top 10.

“No – go as high as you can. Set your marker as high as you can and, if you get there, what an achievement.

“We’ve proved we’re capable of that and there was the recent run of six wins on the bounce.”

l TIM Sherwood is the new bookmakers’ favourite for the head coach’s job at Newcastle United.

The odds on Sherwood succeeding Alan Pardew at St James’s Park have tumbled over the past 24 hours.

Sherwood is as short as evens with many bookies.

The 45-year-old, sacked as Tottenham Hotspur head coach last summer, is available.

Sherwood had been assisted by former Newcastle striker Les Ferdinand at White Hart Lane.

Frenchman Remi Garde – who left Olympique Lyonnais at the end of last season for “personal reasons” – is the second favourite at 2/1.