Jonas Gutierrez has admitted that he has a fight on his hands to get back into the Newcastle United first team following his successful battle against cancer.

The midfielder made his footballing return last week as a substitute during his side's 1-0 defeat to Manchester United in the Premier League.

However, the Argentine believes that it will be tough for him to put himself at the forefront of manager John Carver's plans at St James' Park in the coming weeks.

"Nobody is going to give you a place just because you have recovered from cancer," he told the Evening Chronicle. "You've got to be strong and do the best that you can and do the best in every minute that you play.

"The first game back was special but now I am in the same position as the rest of the team and I have to fight for my place if I want to play.

"The last two years have been really different. I am normally at Newcastle and playing here. It wasn't hard, it was just different. I learned a lot from that and tried to enjoy the moments and now I am living a new life."

Newcastle are back in action on Sunday when they face Everton at Goodison Park in the league.