Newcastle midfielder Gary Speed is determined not to let his Champions League dream slip from his grasp as Italian giants Juventus roll into town today.

The Welshman has had to wait a decade for a second bite at the cherry after tasting the European big time with Leeds, and he is not about to give up despite heading into the clash with Marcello Lippi's side with the Magpies staring elimination in the face.

Speed, who played in his country's superb Euro 2004 qualifying victory over Italy last week, is hoping that lightning will strike twice to bring Sir Bobby Robson's side a first goal and their first points in the competition.

"We haven't played too badly this year in the Champions League, we just haven't had the results, so I think we're due a break," said Speed.

* Ole Gunnar Solskjaer admits Manchester United have had to ease off in training to ensure they are not caught out by travel fatigue.

The Red Devils embarked on an eight-hour round trip to Athens yesterday for the Champions League clash with Olympiakos knowing they must do the same again on Sunday for next week's encounter with Maccabi Haifa in Cyprus.

Solskjaer said: "They are all long trips and it is bound to take its toll unless you do something.

"At this time of the season, we don't tend to train as hard. You have to do all you can to make sure it doesn't cause us too much of a problem."

* Arsenal captain Patrick Vieira has insisted the club can rise to the challenge of recovering lost momentum after suffering the shock of back-to-back defeats.

Arsenal suffered their first league defeat for 10 months at Everton last weekend and last night lost 2-1 at home in the Champions League to Auxerre.

Vieira said: "We are disappointed but you must think that we are still at the top of the group with nine points and just two games to go, and we're in a good position."

* Liverpool have responded to a call to raise their standards in the Champions League by manager Gerard Houllier and are now on the brink of qualification for the second group phase.

Michael Owen was the architect of their away win against Spartak Moscow 3-1as he fired home a hat-trick.

Houllier said: "We are looking after ourselves now, not looking at other results and we are doing that because we have raised our standards, that's what I told the boys they had to do."