Ferguson surprised as old friends Newcastle back so soon

MANCHESTER United manager Alex Ferguson admits he is surprised that Newcastle have bounced back to the Premier League so quickly.

Club owner Mike Ashley tried and failed to sell the club which had a collection of under-performing players with plummeting values, and the talk was of Newcastle falling even further than the Championship.

But, on Monday, they will arrive at Old Trafford as a top-flight force once more, to open their season in exactly the same way as they did two years ago.