The 2009/10 Championship winners sit ninth in the Premier League, but are just four points adrift of Liverpool, who occupy sixth, after winning at Birmingham last week. It was thought that the solitary aim this season was for Newcastle to avoid relegation, but, with 35 points already secured, Pardew thinks that Saturday's match against eighth-placed Bolton at St James' Park is a vital catalyst. The former Southampton boss succeeded Chris Hughton in December and, rather than seeing the season fizzle out, he wants to progress with an ambitious assault on the Europa League positions. "The game is pivotal," Pardew told the Newcastle Journal ahead of hosting Bolton, when his side will aim to improve a measly total of just four Tyneside wins this season before welcoming Everton at the start of March. "It is pivotal because we won an away game which gave us five away wins, but now we need to improve our home form. We've got games now where we have the opportunity to do that. "(Bolton) is a big, big game even though many will view it is as a game between two mid-table sides. But they will be in the same mood as us. "This game is pivotal in terms of attacking the top ten. If we win this we can attack the top ten. If we don't win this game then we've lost a big opportunity and the opportunity might be Europe. "We're on the verge of something exciting - these two games will decide whether we've got something to go for or we're going to have a season where we're just seeing things out. I don't want that to happen. "This (Bolton) is to keep the season alive - and I think we need the help of the fans to do that."
