FREDDY Shepherd has assured Graeme Souness he will not be living up to his tag as the "August assassin" despite Newcastle's calamitous start to the season continuing against Manchester United.

Shepherd, who dismissed Kenny Dalglish, Ruud Gullit and Sir Bobby Robson in the opening month of the season, has given Souness his backing as the Scot desperately tries to make at least one more signing before the transfer window closes on Wednesday night.

And, despite yesterday's 2-0 defeat leaving the Magpies just one place off the foot of the Premiership table, Alan Murray last night insisted his beleaguered boss would come out fighting despite mounting criticism of his side's continued lack of success.

With Souness refusing to attend his post-match press conference for the second time this season, the Newcastle number two told reporters not to read anything too sinister into his now customary no-show.

"There is no significance in it at all," said Murray. "Please don't read anything into that is not there.

"I think it's fair to say that we've had re-assurances. The chairman has backed Graeme, as Graeme has already said.

"I think they've had a really good relationship in terms of working together and it will continue.

"Graeme is at his best when his back is to the wall. He is a very strong character and he will handle the situation as well as anyone could. We are quite intelligent and we know the situation, and we are doing everything we can to change it."

The signing of a proven goalscorer would undoubtedly help to rectify Newcastle's major problem - the Magpies have now failed to find the net in any of their opening four games - and the club remain hopeful of signing Michael Owen later this week.

Should Owen opt to rejoin his former club Liverpool instead, Newcastle will make a last-ditch attempt to switch their attention elsewhere. Feyenoord frontman Dirk Kuyt is a leading target, although his £13m price tag is likely to prove an insurmountable obstacle, while the Magpies are ready to test Middlesbrough's resolve by tabling a £6m bid for Mark Viduka.

"The chairman and manager are working very hard to bring one or two players in," confirmed Murray. "We have until Wednesday and we will work until the deadline."

Newcastle non-international players will leave for a warm weather training camp in Malaga tomorrow, although they will not be joined by Kieron Dyer, Emre or Lee Bowyer after the trio all limped out of yesterday's defeat.

Dyer and Emre's injuries were particularly worrying after both players passed a pre-match fitness test following earlier problems.

"It was a calculated risk to play them," admitted Murray. "They worked very hard throughout the week but you can't replicate things which happen in matches in training. We looked formidable with them on the pitch and, with our best XI out there, we matched Manchester United.

"Emre will have a scan and it looks like a recurrence of his hamstring injury. Kieron is very low because he doesn't seem to be able to get a run of games without suffering niggling little problems."

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