Hughton Upbeat To Challenge!

Last updated : 16 February 2009 By Footy Mad - Editor

United kick off their tough sequence on Tyneside against in-form Everton at Gallowgate before home games with Manchester United, Arsenal and Chelsea - with relegation six- pointers away to Bolton and Hull sandwiched in between.

Chris Hughton: "These are challenging times, and at these times you have to be able to look at a group of lads and be confident that they will all perform well enough to get you were you want to be at the end of the season.

"I'm confident that this group of lads can do that.

"These are games you want to be involved in.

"The bonus is that the bulk of these games are at home.

"There's a lot of football to be played, and it's not just about us.

"All we can do is look after our own results, but what you also need is help along the way. You always hope that the teams around you, and below you especially, don't pick up the results they need.

"Any team in that group around us will look at their fixtures between now and the end of the season and won't see too many easy games - we aren't any different."