GARY SPEED last night warned Premiership defenders to expect another season of torment from Newcastle United skipper Alan Shearer.

Super Shearer hit 25 goals in a goal-laden 2002-03 campaign which helped the Magpies clinch a Champions League berth.

The Newcastle striker celebrates his 33rd birthday a week on Wednesday, but Speed is convinced there is still plenty of life in the St. James' Park hero yet.

Shearer grabbed a superb first-half hat-trick in the 6-0 win over Hartlepool United on Friday, taking his personal tally to four goals in three summer friendlies.

And Speed is convinced the former England man - who scored 30 goals in 63 appearances for his country - will be as threatening as ever alongside Craig Bellamy when the Premiership kicks off on August 16.

"Alan is as hungry as ever," said the Welshman. "There's no difference to the Alan Shearer in pre-season to the one that finished last season.

"His hat-trick against Hartlepool was typical Alan Shearer but I thought Craig Bellamy was exceptional and he has looked really sharp in pre-season.

"With those two up front it's looking really good for us."

Shearer is keen to help Newcastle to win the Premiership title before he eventually retires and many believe this could be their year.

However, after witnessing the big spending of Chelsea and the squad strengthening of Liverpool, Speed insists third place will be just as difficult to claim this time around.

"It's going to be much harder for us to match third place when you look at the way Chelsea and Liverpool have strengthened," said the 33-year-old midfielder. "We are really going to have to work hard to finish above those two.

"But our aim is to try to get better every year. By doing that we know we are there to be shot at because Newcastle United are now one of the biggest scalps in the Premiership.

"But those are the types of things we need to get over if we are going to win the Premiership."

Meanwhile, Newcastle welcome German champions Bayern Munich to Tyneside tomorrow night in a mouth-watering pre-season friendly.

And full-back Andy Griffin says Sir Bobby Robson's men will treat the match with the Champions League hopefuls in the same manner they went to Second Division Hartlepool.

"We are not going to go into the Bayern game any differently to the way we approached the Hartlepool match," he said.

"They are probably one of the best teams in the world and it will be a very, very difficult match.

"If we play well against them then hopefully we will have shown everyone how far we have come under Bobby Robson.

"They will want to come to St. James' Park and put on a good performance because they were disappointing last season in the Champions League.

"They've won the European Cup a few times and I'm sure it will be an exciting match on Tuesday."

Read more about Newcastle United FC here.