Manchester United: Sir Alex Ferguson fears for the future
"We have plenty of bodies in the dressing room who would come down on them."
Ferguson is set to make major changes for the St James' Park trip, with the inclusion of six players who didn't play any part in the Carling Cup win over Tottenham at Wembley, including Dimitar Berbatov, Michael Carrick and Wayne Rooney, who has recovered from a virus.
Also in the United line-up will be Nemanja Vidic, with his manager admitting he had made an error in putting him on the bench at the weekend and handing Rio Ferdinand a start instead.
"The only mistake I made on Sunday was with Vidic," revealed Ferguson.
"I didn't realise he had played three games in the competition.
"But I needed Ferdinand back into rhythm because he missed too many games from December onwards.
"Having got that really good game under his belt we hope Ferdinand and Vidic will be a really solid partnership to the end of the season."
With the Club World Cup and the Carling Cup now safely locked in the United trophy cabinet, United embark on a 10-day spell in which the reality of a quintuple bid will start to emerge.
The Premier League encounter with Newcastle, plus another against Liverpool at Old Trafford on March 14 sandwich Saturday's FA Cup trip to Fulham and the eagerly-anticipated Champions League decider with Inter Milan next Wednesday.
Should United come through that lot unscathed, the odds on an unprecedented five-timer will really start to tumble.
Not that Ferguson is giving such an achievement even the most cursory acknowledgement.
At the start of each season, the United chief sets his team the target of winning a major trophy.
In 2006, the Carling Cup alone fitted the bill. Now either the Champions League or Premier League would do nicely.
"I would be happy if we only won the Premier League from this point," he said. "It is a major trophy.
"I would love to see us winning the Champions League again. That is my big desire.
"But at this moment the Premier League has to be the best opportunity.
"If we keep our heads straight and focused we have a big chance."
Not that Ferguson is willing to meekly surrender United's European crown to Jose Mourinho next week.
"We have done the hard bit in a way by going there and proving our worth," he said.
"Now all we need to do is win our home game and we are through to the quarter final."
