Danny Guthrie is wary of dangers in Championship

Oct 12 2009 by Stuart Rayner, The Journal

DANNY Guthrie has warned Newcastle United the lesser lights will cause them most problems in this season's Championship, but the midfielder feels Marlon Harewood’s arrival has left them better placed to deal with it.

The Magpies travel to two-time European Cup winners Nottingham Forest on Saturday in a televised game laced with glamour because of the two clubs’ histories. But it is against the division’s less prestigious sides United have struggled the most, losing to Blackpool and Peterborough United (the latter in the League Cup), and drawing their last two home games against Queens Park Rangers and Bristol City.

“We played a few of the top teams early on and got good results but the teams that have been near the bottom end of the league or in mid-table have been just as hard,” said Guthrie.

“The Championship teams who have been in this division for a few years and are used to it, they’re very difficult teams. The teams that are used to it, they’ve been the more difficult games I’d say.

“I think we’re a big scalp to these teams. We’re going to get that all season, everyone wants to beat us, especially when they come to our stadium.

“The games seem to be a bit more difficult. We haven’t lost at home but we’ve had a couple of draws.

“We didn’t lose until we went to Blackpool, which brought everybody down a peg or two. But we bounced back and haven’t lost since. The five wins in a row (in August and September) really helped our confidence and I think that’s why we’re top of the league at the minute.”