Newcastle United manager Eddie Howe has dismissed the suggestion his team are under pressure.

The Magpies are third in the Premier League, but take on high flying Brighton at home on Thursday as they bid to keep Manchester United and Liverpool behind them in the table.

However, Howe spoke to reporters and insisted that pressure is the bailiffs knocking at the door and worrying about how to pay the mortgage.

Howe said to reporters: “The first season I had in management was the best grounding I could ever have had, and I knew it at the time. You're dealing with bailiffs coming in, players not getting paid, knocking on your door saying, 'I can't pay my mortgage'.

“As coaches, we bought equipment for the club because we wanted to do the best job that we could. That first six months in management felt like 10 years and we experienced things that some managers will never go through in their entire career.

“I was grateful for that and the fact we were successful, which enabled us to launch our career. It's a great grounding and means we've never taken anything for granted or got ahead of ourselves. We're just very grateful for the situation we're in now."