Roeder eyes Rossi spark

Manchester United youngster Giuseppe Rossi will have the chance to do his parent club a huge favour when he turns out for Newcastle against Chelsea on Wednesday.

The forward has endured a frustrating spell on loan at Newcastle, as he has hardly figured for The Magpies despite their poor form and injury problems.

Rossi is set to head back to Manchester on New Year's Day, but he will have the chance to secure hero status first.

The mounting injury problems on Tyneside are set to prompt Glenn Roeder into deploying Rossi on the right wing and the Magpies chief is hopeful the youngster will be in the mood to impress.

"Young Rossi has every chance of playing, and I know that nothing would give him more pleasure than helping us get something out of Chelsea," Roeder told the Daily Mirror.

"It goes without saying that it would also give his boss Sir Alex Ferguson a lot of pleasure too. He could do his club a big favour.

"I am sure he will be getting plenty of good luck messages from his mates in the North West."

Chelsea go into Wednesday's clash eight points adrift of Manchester United, but Roeder does not believe The Blues will be feeling the pressure.

"This time last year the title race was as good as over," he added. "But this year there is a race on. It looks like both managers are super-confident they will retain or regain the title.

"Chelsea are not under pressure. If I was in the Chelsea camp I would not be feeling it at all.

"They have won it from the front for the last two years and this time it is different with them in second spot - and the fact there is a battle on is good for the neutral.

"Every year you retain the league title it becomes a bigger test the next year, and that's what Chelsea have now to win it a third time. If they do win it, it will be a bigger deal than the last two titles."