Chris Hughton is facing toughest decision

Oct 16 2009 by Luke Edwards, The Journal

Hughton continued: “It’s also about having a belief in the squad we’ve got. We know that in some areas we’re going to be light.

“If you look at this particular moment with Khizanishvili coming in that leaves us with him, Taylor, Coloccini.

“There would be other clubs who’d survive on that three as their main central defensive players, with a couple of players who can manoeuvre in and around from full-back, or a young one who can come in and play so we’ve been okay.”

Should the injury situation worsen – and clubs traditionally tend to pick up far more as the weather turns colder – United’s lack of resources could be exposed, but Hughton remains relatively relaxed as he denied he had made any new plans in the transfer market.

He said: “What I’ve always said is that there are going to be judgement calls.

“We’ve had times where we’ve felt we’ve needed to bring in players in a certain position and we’ve done so.

“At the moment we’re coping well with the squad we’ve got, you have to use that squad, we’ve got three or four young players who are very much part of that squad and they’ll benefit from getting playing time this season.

“Of course, when you do get a few injuries, then it’s always going to be a judgement call as to whether you need to make any loan signings.

“At this moment I feel the squad is okay.”