The Derby County boss says the Magpies must live up to their billing as favourites.
Derby County manager Nigel Pearson has told the Chronicle that Newcastle United must learn to deal with the expectation on them this season.
The expectation is high at St. James’ Park this season, with their fans demanding an instant return to the Premier League after their relegation last season.
Indeed, the Magpies are expected to dominate the Championship this season, with many feeling they possess the best squad in the division by some distance.
They had struggled in the opening weeks, losing their first two games of the season before going on a run of three straight wins to move up the table.
Part of that could have been down to them struggling to deal with the added pressure, and Pearson says they must learn to deal with that.
“I would think they’d expect the billing as favourites and I think they would expect of themselves to live up to that bill,” he told the Chronicle.
“If you are billed as one of the favourites, then live up to it. There is nothing wrong with that. The expectations on a club like Newcastle are high and that is something for them to deal with.”
It remains to be seen if Newcastle can handle the increased expectancy at the club this season.
There is no denying that the squad they have should be a highly competitive one, especially given that it now has a lot of experienced Championship stars in it.
For a number of those players, though, Newcastle is easily the biggest club they have played for and how they cope with that step will play a large part in how successful a season Rafa Benitez’s side enjoy.
Receive exclusive football transfer news and updates twice a week to your mailbox
