Source: SKY_Sports
Shearer seeks strong start
Alan Shearer is relishing the opportunity to cross swords with Chelsea in his first game as manager of Newcastle United.[LNB] The former Magpies captain is hoping to raise his legendary status on Tyneside by a notch or two after agreeing to help in the fight against Premier League relegation.[LNB]Eighteenth-placed Newcastle confirmed Shearer as an eight-game replacement for Joe Kinnear, who is recovering from heart surgery, on Wednesday and the club's record goalscorer is now preparing for the challenge.[LNB]The ex-England star has inherited a side two points from safety and facing, arguably, the toughest run-in of all the clubs battling at the wrong end of the division, starting with Saturday's visit of Guus Hiddink's third-placed Chelsea.[LNB]And Shearer is in no doubt regarding the significance of the Blues' visit but hopes to begin his tenure with a bang, saying: "I keep hearing people say it is a tough game. I understand that.[LNB]World class"Chelsea have world-class players and a great, experienced manager. They are going for the Premier League and they are in the quarter-finals of the Champions League.[LNB]"However, I still think it is a great game for us to have. I'm not having the fact people keep saying, 'we will not get anything here'.[LNB]"I do not accept that, I really don't. If we do not gain anything tomorrow and the other teams win, they will be five points ahead of us.[LNB]"We do not want that. We have to take something."[LNB]After taking on Chelsea, Newcastle face Stoke, Tottenham, Portsmouth, Liverpool, North-East rivals Middlesbrough, Fulham and Aston Villa.[LNB]
