McClaren seeks Newcastle consistency

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.”