GRAEME Souness expects this evening's UEFA Cup clash with Panionios to be a "turn on" for the Greek fans, but the Newcastle boss has sought to turn off the speculation surrounding Craig Bellamy's future at St James' Park.

Souness conducted his pre-match press conference at Panionios' Nea Smyrni Stadium last night, but refused to answer any questions about his training ground altercation with the Wales international.

The pair clashed after Souness sought to discuss Bellamy's conduct at the Valley on Sunday, when the striker verbally abused his manager and is alleged to have directed an obscene gesture in the direction of the home fans.

Souness has insisted that Bellamy is available for tonight's game, although the United boss also revealed that Shola Ameobi has fully recovered from his knock to the leg and is also up for selection.

The Scot was asked to give his version of what happened at Newcastle's Darsley Park training ground on Tuesday but, instead, he focused his attentions on the task facing his side as they look to start the UEFA Cup Group Stage with a bang.

"I'm here to talk about the game," said Souness, who has spoken of his desire to keep Newcastle's off-field antics out of the media glare. "It's a very interesting game for us and it will be a big challenge.

"I'm not here to talk about anything other than what's going to happen in that game. There's no mileage and no benefit in it for me. I won't be answering any questions on that subject, so don't go wasting your breath by asking them to me."

Bellamy is still expected to start in the homely surroundings of the Nea Smyrni Stadium as United take on a Panionios side struggling in their own domestic league.

The Magpies will start as firm favourites against the Athenian outfit and, after winning three European Cups as a player, Souness knows all about trips into the unknown.

The Newcastle boss accepts that tonight's opponents will be moving heaven and earth to earn a shock result, and has warned his players they must learn to live with opponents raising their game when they roll into town.

"At Liverpool, we were either the champions in Europe defending the cup or we were the team that we going to be winning it back again," said Souness.

"We knew that whenever we played, it might not have been our biggest game, but it was certainly theirs.

"I think we come into that category in this group. If you look at all of the other teams in the group, the game they will be looking forward to is the one against Newcastle United.

"We've got to understand that - we are the big, glamorous team from the Premiership in England. We have Alan Shearer and other top players here. It will turn other people on when they are going to play us."

Tonight's game is the first of four Group Stage fixtures, with the top three sides qualifying for next year's knockout stage.

Most European away games are cat and mouse affairs but, with away goals not coming into the equation in the new group system, Souness is urging his side to be positive.

"I'm not looking at it as a group," he said. "I'm looking at this as a one-off game that we need to win.

"If you look at the way we're viewed because of the players we have, we're geared to going forward and we're geared to scoring goals.

"We're not a team that can set our stall out and try to get a 0-0. I think it's widely acknowledged that the strongest part of our team would be our front six.

"I think that's where most people regard us as being strong and, if teams score against us, so what? Our attitude is that we'll score two against you. I'm very aware that the people who support our club want it to be like that as well."

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