FIT-again Newcastle United midfielder Emre Belezoglu last night revealed how he feared manager Graeme Souness would be sacked before he finally got the chance to repay his enormous debt to him.

The United boss was installed as the bookies' odds-on favourite to get the chop before the new campaign had even kicked off. And the odds looked justified when Newcastle opened their season with no wins - or goals - in four, making Souness' departure more likely.

The Scot's cause was not helped by a crippling injury list which robbed him of nearly £25m worth of talent.

But with the axe looming menacingly, Souness managed to save his bacon when he pulled of a major coup in signing Michael Owen from Real Madrid.

The £16m deal turned around the club's flagging fortunes and United remain unbeaten in four since Owen's arrival on transfer deadline day.

Emre's return to fitness provides another boost for the United boss as he bids to extend his unbeaten sequence of results at Wigan this afternoon to five.

The 25-year-old midfielder came through 45 minutes of play unscathed in Turkey's 1-0 victory over Albania in their crucial World Cup qualifier on Wednesday and he now wants to repay his debt to Souness and Newcastle.

"The manager was under pressure, the team hadn't scored, and that was a worry because I thought maybe I might not play for the manager again," said Emre who last played for the club against Manchester United on August 28.

"For me, the gaffer is a very important person. I came here for Newcastle and for him. I believe in him and I think he believes in me.

"We (the players) love him and I am pleased that now things seem OK for him.

"For five weeks we have been playing good and are winning games but there is one president and if he wants to change the manager there is nothing we can do. Yes, it was a fear of mine when I came off against Manchester that if results didn't improve the manager would go and I would never get the chance to repay him. I think it is not like that now."

The feelings between player and manager are mutual.

"He's a bloody good football player," said Souness when asked to comment on his £3.8m signing from Inter Milan. "He has the potential, if he isn't already it, to be one of the best midfield players in Europe.

"He is the superstar of Turkish football, not Nihat Kahveci and the boy at Trabzonspor, Fatih Tekke. He shows us glimpses of that but let's see if he can do it week in and week out in the Premiership."

Emre's signing has captured the imagination of Newcastle fans more than any other because he was more of an unknown quantity than Owen.

The 25-year-old's fleeting involvement has revealed great composure and technique on the ball, the ability to carve an opening out of nothing and a good eye for goal.

Souness revealed that Emre is desperate to be involved at the JJB Stadium this afternoon and also let slip how his midfielder carries the weight of his nation on his shoulders.

"He has been angry around the place because he's not been fit and he wants to play," said the Scot.

"He sees this as a personal challenge and another attractive thing about him is the way he has taken on the responsibility of Turkish football. He is here as much for his country as he is for himself. He wants to show the world how good Turkey's footballers are, that's his mentality.

"I had the benefit of working over there and I can tell you their footballers' attitude is spot on.

"The benefit of having Emre here is that he lived abroad for four years in Italy, so he has handled living outside of Turkey.

"Their world is close-knit with everything centered around the family. Usually when they leave that family unit that is when they have problems settling abroad.

"I worked with Hakan Suker, who was a world-class centre forward, and I think he found it more difficult than Tugay and Emre. I had him briefly at Blackburn, although I wasn't disappointed with him.

"They don't go out, they eat the right things and don't drink alcohol - although Tugay smokes like a chimney, but he's still playing and he's 35."

Emre revealed he has been overwhelmed by the generosity of both the Turkish and Geordie community since his arrival from Italy in July.

"I love it here. I am very happy because the people are very friendly," admitted the diminutive midfielder.

"My family are not over yet, maybe this month. There are 600 (Turks) in this city and they are friendly.

"I have already made many friends among them and it is helpful having them around me. But there are Turks everywhere, not just in English cities. It was the same in Milan.

"The Turks everywhere are football crazy and make you part of the community wherever you are playing. On the day I arrived I got a special welcome. A man from a Turkish restaurant in Newcastle came to welcome me.

"He told me I must go to his Turkish market and restaurant. In London, for 100,000 community, there is plenty of choice but in Newcastle he said there was only the one Turkish shop where I could buy my special foods.

"So immediately, it felt like home from home for me."

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