Source: PA
Hughton has faith in defensive duo
Newcastle boss Chris Hughton will have no qualms about throwing Sol Campbell and Steven Taylor in at the deep end against champions Chelsea.
The pair are expected to take over from the suspended Fabricio Coloccini and Mike Williamson for the Blues' Barclays Premier League visit to St James' Park on Sunday despite barely having kicked a ball between them this season.
Campbell has made only one start for the club he joined during the summer to date - the Carling Cup victory at Chelsea on September 22 - while local boy Taylor has not played a competitive game since January because of a succession of injuries. However, they are likely to get their chance this weekend and Hughton is confident they will rise to the challenge.
He said: "They are both very, very good players. One thing you learn the more years you are in football is you have to adapt. You end up losing players and you have to adapt to it.
"Sometimes that can strengthen you, sometimes it doesn't, but what you have to do is get on with it, be very, very positive about what you do have and the qualities you have, and hopefully that will show on Sunday.
"It is not just us, most clubs losing their two central defenders would be stretched - we have seen that, of course, even at the club the magnitude of Chelsea. What we do have available in that position at the moment is Steven Taylor and Sol Campbell. Both Steven and Sol have been fit for a while - what they are lacking is getting up to speed as regards matches."
