his side are in good shape as they look to bounce back
from derby defeat against Stoke.
Steve McClaren claims Newcastle United have reacted positively
this week to their defeat in the Wear-Tyne derby as they prepare
to host Stoke City on Saturday.
Newcastle were somewhat unfortunate to suffer a 3-0 defeat to
local rivals Sunderland last weekend, losing captain Fabricio
Coloccini to a harsh red card that was later overturned on
appeal.
But there will be no lingering sense of injustice affecting the
hosts when Mark Hughes brings his Stoke side to St James'
Park this weekend.
"We are not feeling sorry for ourselves," McClaren told a news
conference.
"If we perform like we did at Sunderland we will win eight or
nine times out of 10.
"It's been a good week, very focused and intense. We've been
reflecting on one of the strangest derbies I've been involved in.
"It has been a rollercoaster 10 games and we have been up and
down. We need to be consistent."
Stoke are 14th, five places and six points better off than
Newcastle. They go into the game off the back of a morale-
boosting League Cup penalty-shootout triumph over struggling
Premier League champions Chelsea.
"We will expect a vibrant, very good Stoke team who have an
excellent manager and squad taking the club forward," McClaren
said.
The former England manager also offered an update on Dutch
goalkeeper Tim Krul, who is beginning a long rehabilitation
process following surgery to repair a ruptured anterior cruciate
ligament.
"Krul has had his operation and is on the first small steps to
recovery."
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