As he prepares to launch his Premier League career, Matthias Jaissle is confident that his new-look Newcastle United team is heading in the right direction.

The 38-year-old German has overseen a demanding pre-season campaign, working to rebuild a squad shorn of star figures Anthony Gordon, Sandro Tonali, Bruno Guimaraes and Kieran Trippier around young potential - a process that remains ongoing as Sunday’s fixture against Liverpool approaches.

Taking to the home dugout at St James’ Park for the first time, Jaissle recognises the formidable challenges ahead, yet he is relishing the task of taking up the reins relinquished by Eddie Howe earlier this summer.

He said: "First of all, I’m really grateful. I consider it a huge privilege to be coach of Newcastle United at this stage of my career already.

"But I also feel that’s a huge responsibility – and I’m aware of that – so what I can do is every day giving my best to try to improve, to try to support the lads in the way we’re doing it right now.

"I’m really, really happy with the commitment the lads show on the training ground and we’re going totally in the right direction, so I’m happy and I’m really grateful."

Jaissle was named as Howe’s successor on 5 August after the 48-year-old decided his time had come to step down following almost five years in charge.

With his playing staff currently in a state of flux, the former RB Salzburg and Al-Ahli head coach has effectively been thrown into the deep end, yet he remains undaunted by the task ahead.

Asked how his initial weeks in the job have unfolded, Jaissle replied: "Amazing. Challenging, a lot of work.

"I consider the training ground at the moment as my home, which is normal and fine at this stage. I can say only good things."

He added with a smile: "The biggest challenge probably is what I have mentioned already: the dialect of some of your colleagues and maybe the driving on the left side. But all these things are easy to handle in the future. I’m fine."

Jaissle’s opening competitive fixture promises to be an emotional affair as Newcastle and Liverpool gather prior to kick-off to commemorate the life of Kevin Keegan - a figure who meant so much to both clubs - before resuming a rivalry that has produced some memorable encounters in the Premier League era.

He said: "I can’t wait to be there in the stadium, to coach the team in front of our fans. Of course, now it is a challenging period, like I’ve described now already a couple of times.

"We want to use now the remaining days in the best possible way, get our ideas into the players’ heads and then hopefully we can also deliver that already on a higher level."

The Magpies will be without full-back Tino Livramento and midfielder Joelinton, though new signing Amar Dedic could be handed a debut.