Source: Telegraph
Alan Shearer: Saving Newcastle United would be greatest feat
The Newcastle manager admission put his hometown club's sorry plight sharply into perspective as he prepared for Saturday's visit to Stoke that could prove to be pivotal in the fight for top-flight survival.
The former England and Newcastle skipper said safeguarding the club's Premier League status would eclipse everything he has achieved so far in a career that saw him win the league with Blackburn before he returned home to become Newcastle's record goalscorer.
Most definitely, the biggest, without a doubt the biggest challenge," Shearer, 38, said.
"Would it represent his biggest achievement? Without a doubt, yes. We are in a very, very tough situation and we have got a hell of a lot of work to do. But I am still confident we can do it."
Newcastle are currently third-bottom of the Premier League with just seven games left this season and are now three points in arrears of local rivals Sunderland who host Manchester United on Saturday.
He said: "We are going there to try to get three points. It's imperative, it really is.
"Now, that might change depe nding on the game. We have got a late kick-off, so we will know other results around us, but we are going there with the intention of trying to get three points. We need three points, put it that way."
Shearer, who swapped Match of the Day punditry for his first job in management last week, knows that when he pits his wits against Stoke manager Tony Pulis at the Britannia Stadium he will be facing a rival with one of the best home records in the Premier League with 28 points taken from the 45 available thanks to an uncompromising approach and reliance on Rory Delap's long throws.
He said: "Well, you know how they play, we know how they play, we know what their threat is, everyone does. But there are not many people who've gone to Stoke this season and come away successful.
"When you look at their points at home this season, they are doing something right at their place and not many teams are going there and winning.
"But we know what we are facing, without doubt. You can watch numerous DVDs or whatever you want to watch and have them watched as many times as you like.
"You know what you are getting - can you handle it? Can you be big, can you be brave, can we be strong, can we play our football, can we come away with three points? That's the intention."
Shearer has ruled out left-back Jose Enrique (knee), midfielder Peter Lovenkrands (chest infection) and defender Steven Taylor (ankle) but centre-half Sebastien Bassong could return to action following a groin problem.
