Source: Daily_Mail
Chris Hughton's ready for the battle! Newcastle boss knows club are in scrap to stay up
Newcastle boss Chris Hughton is strapping himself in for a white-knuckle ride as he attempts to guide the club to Barclays Premier League safety.[LNB]The Magpies have made a creditable start to life back in the top flight, but have only seven points to show for their efforts from as many games after losing their last two.[LNB]They were unfortunate to go down 2-1 at Manchester City last time out when they conceded a questionable penalty and were then denied a spot-kick of their own.[LNB] Happier times: Hughton brought Newcastle up... but will he take them down, too[LNB]But having lost to both Blackpool and Stoke at St James' Park after routing Aston Villa 6-0 in their opening home fixture, they entertain Wigan tomorrow desperately needing to stop the rot if they are to renew confidence that they can make a fist of life among the big boys.[LNB]Hughton said: 'When we came back into this division, we knew it wasn't going to be easy, but we are where we are.[LNB]'We are a team that was relegated over a year ago which had a very good season last season - but we know there are going to be ups and downs when you look at the quality in this division.[LNB]Crunch point: Injury to Hatem Ben Arfa rocked the club[LNB]'The most important thing for us is coping with the defeats. We are a side which went through a season last season where we didn't have too many defeats.[LNB]'We knew we would have defeats this season and it is how you respond and bounce back from those defeats which is going to be a really important aspect of our game.'[LNB]Blackpool's 2-0 victory on Tyneside was all the more disappointing as Hughton's men created more than enough chances to win the game, and they were undone by two set-pieces as they allowed a lead to slip when Stoke came calling a fortnight later.[LNB]The Magpies emerged from the Coca-Cola Championship knowing their hopes of survival would depend largely on what they did against the teams around them rather than the division's leading lights.[LNB]However, their demolition of Villa and victories for fellow promoted sides West Brom and Blackpool over Arsenal and Liverpool respectively in recent weeks have left Hughton wondering if his assessment was correct.[LNB]He said: 'That's what I thought, but there would be other teams saying the same.[LNB]'When you see Blackpool getting a result at Liverpool and West Brom getting a result at Arsenal, they are picking up points that perhaps they didn't think they were going to.[LNB]'Over a season, it's fair to say that it is about the points you will pick up against a group of teams, but probably at the moment, that's not fact.'[LNB]The Magpies will head into the Wigan game knowing they must be more clinical if they are to regain lost momentum and ease themselves back up the table.[LNB]However, they will feel they are due a little more fortune having seen excellent penalty shouts waved away at both Everton and City, and had French winger Hatem Ben Arfa ruled out for months with a double leg fracture, the result of a Nigel de Jong tackle which went unpunished by referee Martin Atkinson.[LNB]Hughton said: "There is a general feeling that they even themselves out. Well, we are hoping they even themselves out reasonably quickly.[LNB]'Yes, we have been on the wrong end of some really poor decisions in recent games, but the most important thing is that we don't focus on that.[LNB]'All we can do is play our game and hopefully get some good results.'[LNB]Tomorrow's game will see another Frenchman, Charles N'Zogbia, return to St James', and he is certain to receive a less than hospitable welcome after persistently agitating to leave the club before his wish was granted.[LNB]A diplomatic Hughton said: 'He is certainly an exciting player and the most important thing is we would like to keep him reasonably quiet on the football pitch.' Capello tells Carroll: Win back Toon place before I pick you for EnglandBen Arfa will stay at Newcastle after his broken leg, claims HughtonTackling the big issue: Premier League bosses hit back at Murphy's claimsNEWCASTLE UNITED FC
