Ex-Huddersfield Town manager Malcolm Macdonald believes his former side will "almost certainly" suffer relegation to the Championship in their first season in the Premier League.

'Supermac', who managed the Terriers between 1987-88 and suffered a record 10-1 defeat at the hands of Manchester City in his time at Leeds Road, is adamant Town will face the drop - and is hoping they do, to save Newcastle United from a second relegation in three years.

The 67-year-old is Newcastle's fifth-highest scorer of all time and believes the Magpies now have to fight against just two relegation spots - with Town taking the third.

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In a column in the Chronicle , he wrote: "I’m glad Huddersfield Town won promotion to the Premier League in the play-offs – because it means one relegation place next season is almost certainly filled.

"I know that’s savage but the PL is unforgiving. Dog eats dog.

"Two clubs promoted a year ago – Middlesbrough and Hull City – have been immediately relegated, which is a warning to Newcastle, Brighton and Huddersfield.

"I think United will have enough to avoid such a catastrophe, but Huddersfield simply won’t be able to compete wages wise with their PL rivals to give them a good chance of survival.

"They are the first ever club to be promoted to the top flight with a minus goal difference and that tells you everything. They don’t score often enough and goalscorers are the dearest people in the transfer market.

"Theirs is unquestionably a fairy story and their manager David Wagner deserves every bit of praise going, but once the PL kicks off all that will be forgotten.

"I’m looking at Burnley and Watford to go the journey as well, though I’m worried for Chris Hughton at Brighton. I’d love him to stay up but it’ll be tough."

He added: "Bottom line is that I believe United have the resources and the manager to bring about survival a lot easier than the likes of Huddersfield, Burnley who only stayed up on their home record, and Watford who seem in permanent turmoil at managerial level.

"I hope I’m right!"