AN embattled Graeme Souness last night insisted that the threat of losing his job as Newcastle manager paled into insignificance given the "real pressures" he has already experienced in his life.

Souness has only been in the United hotseat for 15 weeks, but a failure to win more than one of his last eight league games has quickly seen the heat turned up in Tyneside's pressure-cooker environment.

Newcastle's fans, many of whom did not want the Scot to succeed Sir Bobby Robson in the first place, are advocating his removal, while senior players such as Laurent Robert are openly questioning his managerial style and tactical acumen.

Things will get worse if the Magpies fail to earn their first Premiership win at Blackburn tomorrow, as defeat could see Souness' side slip to a perilous 15th in the table with a home game against champions Arsenal looming large.

Such a scenario would see the grumblings of discontent turn into a fully-fledged campaign to remove him from office but, while Souness is desperate to succeed at St James' Park, he remains sanguine about the crisis that is threatening to engulf him.

The former Middlesbrough midfielder underwent a triple heart by-pass while he was manager of Liverpool, and also watched his first marriage fall apart - events which he feels have made him immune to footballing pressures.

"I'm 51 years old, so obviously I've experienced a fair bit in my life," said the United boss. "Whatever I am today, it's come from what I've experienced of the down side of life.

"Whoever I am today, it's because I've come through difficult times in my life both professionally and personally.

"I've been in a couple of extremely difficult situations, where the pressure was really on, and I know how I dealt with things then.

"I'm not talking about footballing situations, but I know what I had to deal with then and this is not pressure.

"The criticism only makes me doubly determined - that's the kind of character I am. My attitude to it is 'I'll get my head down and work harder'.

"I'm here to do my best. I think I've got a fantastic group that I'm working with, and everybody is fully focused and determined to do well."

Sunday's game marks Souness' first return to Ewood Park since he walked out on Blackburn to join Newcastle in September.

Since then, Mark Hughes has steadied the ship in the north west, while Souness has guided Newcastle into stormier waters on the opposite side of the country.

The Magpies were under the temporary control of John Carver when they beat Rovers 3-0 prior to Souness' arrival and, after winning just four league games since then, the current boss is looking for a similarly positive response tomorrow.

"It's going to be a big day for me," said Souness, who dismissed reports linking him with Spanish striker Fernando Morientes as mere speculation.

"I had four very good years there and I enjoyed working with some good people from the chairman right the way down.

"It's a big game for both clubs, because we're both desperate for a win. Both sides are maybe not playing with the confidence they would want at this time, so it's a real pressure game. We've got to stand up to be counted, and I'll find out what we're made of."

The Scot has always maintained that leaving Blackburn was one of the most difficult decisions he has ever had to make, but his move has subsequently proved symptomatic of a wider managerial merry-go-round.

Six Premiership clubs have already changed bosses this season and, while managerial instability used to be something that affected foreign clubs, Souness feels the trend for chopping and changing is now equally prevalent in England.

"I understood I would be judged quickly when I took over at Newcastle," he said. "I've worked at big clubs in the past and I know the pressure that goes with that.

"I lasted two years at Benfica and, in the same time, Sporting Lisbon went through eight different coaches.

"It's the price on the ticket at a big club. Rangers, Galatasary, Benfica, here - they've all got the same pressures.

"English football is changing and I think we've arrived at the point where the Latin countries have been for the last 20 years.

"The period of time you get to be successful at a football club is getting shorter and shorter.

"I think it takes anyone a couple of seasons at a new club, especially when you take the current system of transfer windows into account."

Souness remains desperate to use next month's transfer window to overhaul his squad, with Rangers centre-half Jean-Alain Boumsong poised to sign and his team-mate Craig Moore also attracting interest on Tyneside.

Until then, United will have to make do and mend, with a mixture of injuries and suspensions meaning Sunday's side will largely pick itself.

Alan Shearer, Stephen Carr, Nicky Butt and Ronny Johnsen are all out again, while midfielder Darren Ambrose faces a late test on a hamstring injury.

Robert is expected to start on the left of midfield - partly as a result of a heart to heart with Souness following his latest outburst this week, but also out of necessity as Lee Bowyer is suspended following his senseless sending off at Liverpool.

Craig Bellamy is fit again after pulling up during the warm-up at Anfield, while Andy O'Brien and Steven Taylor return to the squad after shaking off the virus that sidelined them last weekend.

Read more about Newcastle United FC here.