Newcastle United go into today's game against Everton at Goodison Park on 43 points – level with their worst-ever Premier League haul from last season.

And Keegan – whose meeting with owner Mike Ashley yesterday was "productive and constructive", according to chairman Chris Mort – is determined that his side take something from the fixture to end another rollercoaster season at St James's Park on something of a high.

But Newcastle will find Everton in equally-determined mood, with UEFA Cup football possibly at stake on them taking something from the season finale, as rivals Aston Villa are still in with a chance of finishing fifth.

Keegan said: "We've got one more chance. It's a good game. There's something on it, and it's against a side that is where we realistically could be.

"It's an interesting game. They will think Aston Villa will win their game.

"They'll test us, and we'll be up for it, as we were in the first half against Chelsea."

The highest United can finish the season is 12th, and while that is a far cry from previous challenges under Keegan, the 57-year-old admits he would have gladly taken such an outcome when the club was lurching towards the relegation zone a couple of months ago.

He added: "When you're sucked into a relegation fight you tend to want to look up, but you feel forced to look down.

"I've been talking to other managers who are still in there, and you always think, regardless of how positive you are, that everybody else is going to win their games.

"I think I am (glad), but that doesn't mean to say that the last two games haven't been important to me.

"You know from how I was on Monday how disappointed I was with the second-half performance against Chelsea."

Meanwhile, Keegan met Ashley, Mort and newly-appointed deputy chairman Derek Llambias, as well as Dennis Wise and Tony Jimenez, Friday in London.

The meeting was convened in the wake of Keegan's explosive post-match comments after Monday's 2-0 home defeat to Chelsea, when he laid bare his frustrations over a number of issues.

Mort spoke after the summit, and his statement, while terse, suggested common ground had been found between Keegan and Ashley.

He said: "It was a good meeting. It was both productive and constructive."