Ferguson: Newcastle Is A Strange Club!

Sir Alex Ferguson: "The expectation levels at Newcastle are too great, a lot of people are saying that now.

"When you analyse the situation up there, it is beyond belief.

"They have had two managers who have won World Cups - Jack Charlton and Ossie Ardiles - as players, four who have won the European Cups as players - Kevin Keegan, Kenny Dalglish, Ruud Gullit and Graeme Souness - and Sir Bobby Robson, who took England to the World Cup semi-finals.

"You would think one of them would have won something given the right time.

"I don't know what you can say about the situation up there but it is a strange club.

"I heard all the rumours but I still could not see it happening," he reflected.

"Sometimes, when a manager is under pressure it filters through to the team. You can see signs in players trying to do their best for their manager but they just cannot find it.

"I didn't see that on Sunday. I thought the spirit and response from Newcastle was good. You could not look at that and say those players are not playing for the manager, far from it.

"The unfortunate thing for Sam was that (owner) Mike Ashley did not appoint him. That was probably the most dangerous situation Sam found himself in.

"I still find it amazing though. The people who picked him did so on the back of an outstanding CV given the work he did at Bolton, plus the experience and presence he had.

"And yet, after 24 games, he has gone. That tells you everything about the modern-day game.

"Our record against Newcastle is outstanding but I can't carry that into the game. We have to produce the same performance level as we have done in the past and the same energy and hopefully get the job done."