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Hughton aware of United challenge

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Newcastle United manager Chris HughtonNewcastle United boss Chris Hughton admits he would have liked to begin the season with a home game instead of a daunting trip to face Manchester United at Old Trafford (Newcastle 12/1 to beat Manchester United).

The Magpies are now back in the English top flight following one season in the Championship after stand-in boss Alan Shearer failed to keep them in the Premier League towards the end of the 2008-2009 campaign.

The North-East giants ran away with the Championship last season and will hope to re-establish themselves in the top division having surrendered their top-flight status in May 2009 following sixteen successive seasons in the Premier League.

Despite calls to strengthen the squad, Hughton has only brought in Sol Campbell, James Perch and Dan Gosling to date, with just a couple of weeks to go before the transfer window closes until January.

Newcastle and United had a number of memorable encounters during Kevin Keegan’s time in charge at St James’ Park, when the Tynesiders were a match for the majority of Premier League teams, but their star has waned in recent years culminating in relegation just over 12 months ago.

But a wave of optimism is now back at the club and they will be looking to cement their place in the best league in Europe this season.

Hughton admits the fixture computer could have been kinder to his side but he is looking to draw on the performance of the players a couple of seasons ago, when they drew 1-1 with Sir Alex Ferguson’s team on the opening day at the ‘Theatre of Dreams’ (Man Utd 2/9 to beat Newcastle).

“Looking at Manchester United and the squad they’ve got and the quality they’ve got, it will be a massive challenge for us,” he said. “But this is what we worked so hard for last season to get straight back up into this division.

“It’s probably not the ideal choice. I think the ideal choice would have been to have a home game but we have been there before on the first game of the season two seasons ago and we certainly gave a very good account of ourselves so we’re aware that everything’s possible even though we’re massive underdogs.”

United are out to win back the Premier League trophy after losing out to Chelsea in the race for the title last term and they have already shown that they are well up for the fight with victory over Carlo Ancelotti’s side in the Community Shield last weekend.

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Ferguson aware of derby impact

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Sir Alex FergusonTitle-chasing Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson accepts the derby clash with Manchester City at Eastlands on Saturday will be a “pivotal” game in the clubs’ respective seasons.

The Red Devils are going for a record 19th league title (13/2 Outright) after drawing level with Liverpool on 18 last season, with Ferguson’s men also looking to become the first outfit to win four Premier League crowns on the bounce.

But Ferguson concedes that top-four hopefuls City (4/9 Top 4 Finish) have their own agenda to fight for over the course of the remainder of the campaign, something which gives derby day a whole new twist.

The Scot said: “In over 23 years at United it is the first time we have played City when they have a chance of actually achieving something.

“Whenever we have played City they have always said they will beat us, whether it is a chairman, director or somebody else.

“That is what a derby game does. Supporters want to hear that.

“But this is a different game in terms of City’s position and you can be sure whatever happens it is going to be pivotal in terms of both clubs’ prospects for the season.”

Ferguson’s opposite number, City chief Roberto Mancini, claims the Blues are facing the most important run of games in the club’s 130-year history immediately after the United clash, as he looks to guide them into the qualifying rounds of the Champions League.

And the Italian concedes the ease of his summer transfer business will be decided by the outcome of City’s season.

He admitted: “It is important we finish in fourth because we can change the way we are going.

“It would put us in the Champions League next year and that would make it easier to get the players we want.”

The derby at Old Trafford finished 4-3 in United’s favour back in September when Michael Owen came off the bench to score the winner five minutes into stoppage time.

A win for United at Saturday lunchtime would see them close to within a point of leaders Chelsea who do not play until their evening encounter with Tottenham at White Hart Lane.

But with four games to play Ferguson knows United’s title destiny is now out of their own hands following the 0-0 draw at Blackburn last Sunday.

Speaking after the game, he said: “It’s a blow, there’s no question about it. It makes it really difficult to win the league now.

“That is a fantastic result for Chelsea. It has slipped away from us.

“We have a lifeline if Chelsea blow it.”

Chelsea went on to beat Bolton in midweek to establish a four-point cushion with four games left for both themselves and United this term.

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