Under-fire boss Steve McClaren insists now is not the time to panic after Newcastle slumped to their eight defeat of the season at Crystal Palace.

Former Magpies boss Alan Pardew saw his Eagles side run riot on Saturday as the visitors went down 5-1 despite taking a 10th-minute lead through striker Papiss Cisse.

James McArthur and Yannick Bolasie both grabbed braces for Palace to leave Newcastle firmly entrenched in the Premier League relegation zone after 14 games.

The St James’ Park outfit now have the joint-worst defensive record in the top flight after shipping 30 goals along with Bournemouth, but McClaren claims time is still on his side.

“I think that’s the key thing, that there’s no panic,” he told reporters. “If there were eight games to go then people would, but we’re not.

“And that’s where experience tells. We know we’re doing the right things every day, we know we’re doing the right things, I know through experience.

“Everybody knows and everybody can see that. In time that will turn around and work, at the present moment it’s not, we’re having huge disappointments that I hope will toughen us up and make us stronger in the long run.”

Newcastle (5.00) are next in Premier League action against Liverpool (1.62, draw 3.80) on Sunday and the Magpies faithful will demand a response after the drubbing in south London.

McClaren’s men are now 1.91 to be relegated to the Championship this season, with only Aston Villa (1.20), Sunderland (1.62) and Bournemouth (1.80) shorter in the market.