The Magpies ran away with the Championship last season to book an immediate return to the Premier League, where Hughton knows life will be much tougher. Financial pressures forced Newcastle to sell a number of their more experienced players last summer and Hughton, who was given the permanent manager's job in November, has so far brought in only Sol Campbell, James Perch and Dan Gosling this time around. Of that trio, only Perch has a chance of playing at Old Trafford as Campbell is still working his way back to match fitness and Gosling will miss the first few months of the season following knee surgery. Newcastle can draw on happy memories of Manchester having drawn 1-1 with United on their last trip there two years ago, which coincidentally also came on the first day of the season. But the Magpies' team that day included Shay Given, Charles N'Zogbia, James Milner, Nicky Butt, Damien Duff and Obafemi Martins, all of whom have since left the club. Hughton watched Sir Alex Ferguson's side collect their first trophy of the season with victory over Chelsea in the Community Shield last weekend, and he knows they have an uphill task if they are to take anything from Monday's match. He said: "Looking at Manchester United on Sunday and the squad they've got and the quality they've got, it will be a massive challenge for us. "But this is what we worked so hard for last season to get straight back up into this division. "It's probably not the ideal choice. I think the ideal choice would have been to have a home game but we have been there before on the first game of the season two seasons ago and we certainly gave a very good account of ourselves so we're aware that everything's possible even though we're massive underdogs." The fixture will at least ensure Newcastle begin the season with expectations in check, but the Toon boss is confident his players will not be short on belief. "In some ways it relieves a little bit of pressure but the pressure we want to put on ourselves, whether it be at Old Trafford or Anfield or wherever, is we mustn't go there with any fear," he continued. "To get something from the game we're going to have to play well ourselves and Manchester United possibly not have such a good day, but that is possible." After looking a shadow of the player who terrorised Premier League defences last season at the World Cup for England, all eyes will be on Wayne Rooney. The Red Devils striker netted 34 goals for his club last term but has not scored in a competitive match since March, including four blanks in South Africa. Hughton added: "It's certainly not just about one player. They have a wonderful squad and it's going to have to be a really good team performance from us."
