LONDON (AP)

After Sam Allardyce became the latest failure at Newcastle and left the Magpies searching for a new manager, the club is in disarray as it prepares to face Manchester United, at Old Trafford.

Amid media speculation about who will take one of the toughest jobs in English football, the owners have given assistant manager, Nigel Pearson, the difficult task of reviving the players' confidence and lifting the gloom.

The former Bolton manager joined Ossie Ardiles, Kevin Keegan, Kenny Dalglish, Ruud Gullit, Bobby Robson, Graeme Souness and Glenn Roeder on the list of managers who failed to bring a trophy to St. James' Park. Newcastle have not won the league since 1927, the FA Cup since 1955 and any major trophy since the 1969 Fairs Cup, which later became the UEFA Cup.

United are the defending champions and two points behind Arsenal in second place, while the Magpies are 11th, 24 points behind the Gunners.

Pearson has a talented line-up, but some of the players have appeared unhappy with the tactics demanded by Allardyce, who prefers a long-ball style rather than a passing game.

With Wayne Rooney fit again, Carlos Tevez hoping to recover from an ankle problem, Cristiano Ronaldo on a scoring streak and Louis Saha itching to score against one of his former clubs, United has the firepower to punish a shaky Newcastle defence, especially at Old Trafford.

While United will be confident of beating Newcastle, Arsenal should be too strong for visiting Birmingham tomorrow and third-place Chelsea, who have to make up six points on the Gunners, host Tottenham.