Mark Lawrenson backs Newcastle United to survive but questions Manchester City comparisons

Mark Lawrenson believes Newcastle bought their way out of trouble in the transfer window and now have enough to scrape Premier League survival this season.

Five arrivals came through the door at St James’ Park as the new Saudi-led regime looked to provide Eddie Howe with the tools to keep the Magpies in the top flight.

Last month’s shopping spree totalled just shy of £100million - putting Newcastle’s spending ahead of any other European side.

Former Liverpool defender Lawrenson thinks the heavy expenditure will secure the club’s top-flight status, but would not consider it a catastrophe if they were relegated in May.

“It wouldn't be the end of the world if they did go down because it would just delay plans for another year,” he told FreeSuperTips.

“You then find out about the characters of the players in the Championship, in a league they should walk if they get relegated.”

“I just have the feeling that they'll be ok, it's a mad scramble down there, but they've started to improve, signed some new players, so I think they'll escape.”

However, Lawrenson says the Magpies are still some distance away from replicating Man City’s meteoric rise following Sheikh Mansour’s takeover in 2008.

He added: “I think it's going to be quite a while before Newcastle reach those levels.

“When City were taken over, they had better players than what Newcastle have now, and it took them long enough to be where they are now.”

“You're talking five plus years at least and that's if they can get the players they want.”

“When City started, it was only Chelsea who had the same amount of money to compete, and it wasn't as difficult.”

“The thing for Newcastle is to obviously stay up this season and I think with the signings they've made, they might