Newcastle caretaker boss Chris Hughton insists his side are ready to rise to the formidable challenge of shutting off-field problems out of their minds and winning promotion straight back to the Barclays Premier League.

A team of British MPs were beaten but not disgraced by the Iraqi national football side today in the first game of their Goodwill Tour of the UK.

Arsenal will risk holding back skipper Patrick Vieira from Saturday’s Premiership clash with Middlesbrough at Highbury in the hope of having him at full power for the key post-Christmas fixtures against title challengers Liverpool and Chelsea.