Graeme Souness last night repeated that he has no intention of resigning as manager of Newcastle United. His statement came on the day Bolton Wanderers' Sam Allardyce said that the speculation linking him with Souness's job was doing neither Bolton nor the two managers any favours.

Newcastle have won two and drawn two of the six Premiership games since their League Cup exit at Wigan Athletic at the end of November and the pressure on Souness from his chairman, Freddy Shepherd, is enormous.

The manager met Shepherd on Wednesday and said yesterday: "From my point of view the relationship with the chairman is fine." But Shepherd is yet to comment publicly on Souness's position and is known to be concerned about progress on the field.

Souness said of Newcastle's playing style yesterday: "Kevin Keegan had a team of great entertainers here and that's the kind of team I want to see here, (one) that is able to win something."

But after Newcastle face Mansfield Town at home in the FA Cup tomorrow there are testing Premiership fixtures at Fulham and then at home to Blackburn Rovers, the club Souness left to join Newcastle.

He remains vulnerable and not for the first time of late he mentioned the importance of continuity and stability to successful football clubs.

"We find ourselves in a very difficult situation; we have something like eight of our top men missing," he said. "No club in the country could withstand that, not Chelsea, not Arsenal, not Manchester United, not anyone.

"People are talking about Arsenal not being the same team because they are missing one player; well, we're missing seven or eight. What does that do to us?"

The difficulty faced by Souness, and by anyone trying to interpret developments at St James' Park, is that within the boardroom an unspoken consensus appears to have been reached that he is not the manager who can win that elusive first piece of domestic silverware since 1955.

Allardyce, however, may not be as far up the list of potential replacements as is generally assumed. He said of Souness's predicament: "It is unfair on me, it is unfair on Bolton Wanderers and it is unfair on Graeme Souness. I just don't like being the manager linked to a club where another manager is in a job."

Dutch defender Jan Kromkamp believes he is already a favourite with Liverpool supporters even though he has yet to play a game for the European champions.

Kromkamp was unveiled at Anfield yesterday after joining from Spanish side Villarreal, who helped to knock out Liverpool's two biggest rivals, Manchester United and Everton, from the Champions League this season.

"I know about the big rivalry between the two clubs and Liverpool," he said.

"Everyone has told me they are pleased to see me as Villarreal had put Manchester United and Everton out. People have said because of that I will be okay for Liverpool fans."

Kromkamp joined Liverpool as part of a swap deal, with Spanish defender Josemi heading to Villarreal. The 25-year-old admitted his international career could suffer because of his decision to join Liverpool, whose defence recently went 11 games without conceding a goal.

Should Kromkamp, who will challenge Steve Finnan for the right-back position, fail to find a way into the team he could miss out on a place in the Dutch squad for this year's World Cup finals in Germany.

"I have not spoken to (Dutch coach) Marco van Basten about it. He sent me a letter wishing me a happy New Year but that is all.

"I know I need to play here and Steve has done a good job. The coach was honest and told me it will be hard for me to claim a place at right back. I know that and it's not a problem."