Chopra Knows He Is At The Crossroads

Graeme Souness was under fire last season because, despite scoring 17 goals at Barnsley last term, the manager admitted he had not made the effort to see the youngster play. So when Chopra came to the end of his term on Newcastle's books, Souness gave him a one-year contract.

Michael Chopra: "It's hard for me because it doesn't seem like I've ever been given a chance at this club with any manager. All I've got to do is just keep working hard and hopefully one day they'll give me my chance. I need to be playing football at this stage of my career. I'm not fully match-fit yet. I probably need a couple more reserve-team games but if I'm needed for the first team I'll be ready.

"It's going to be hard to get Michael (Owen) and Alan (Shearer) out of the team when they're playing well. My job now is to try and get as many goals as I can for the reserves and hopefully the manager will bring me on if he needs me.

"It's a good time to be at the club when you've got two top-class strikers who you can watch to improve your game. I'm trying to watch Michael's movement. Against Man City he was always on the last shoulder of the defender and that's how I like to play."