NEWCASTLE UNITED return to action tonight knowing that supporters will be scrutinising the performance at Selhurst Park more closely because of the club’s policy not to make domestic cup competitions a priority.

The Magpies were criticised in May after revealing that the Capital One Cup and FA Cup would continue to be taken lightly, although manager Alan Pardew has insisted in the last six weeks that he would love to give the supporters some silverware.

Pardew takes his squad to Crystal Palace for the Capital One Cup third round tie with Newcastle failing to go beyond the fourth round in either domestic competition since Mike Ashley took control in 2007.

It is a record which not only reflects badly on Ashley, it has also done little to help Pardew, whose relationship with fans is at its lowest ebb.

Pardew did not hold the usual pre-match press conference yesterday - he made the same decision ahead of last month’s tie at Gillingham - because it is not mandatory like it is ahead of Premier League fixtures.

That could be perceived as a further indication that Capital One Cup progress is not vital, but Pardew can’t afford a drab performance.

In coming back from two down to secure a point against Hull on Saturday, it was mainly cheers and applause for the players rather than jeers for the under-fire manager.

But the criticism will return if improvements do not continue and, speaking after the draw with Hull, defender Mike Williamson admits the players are focused.

Williamson said: “The majority of the fans were fantastic on Saturday; there was a lot of speculation about certain things but the fans got behind us in those first 20 minutes and it helped a lot.

“It’s hard to say things like that don’t affect you at all, it does bring pressure. The expectation of the atmosphere was worse than what it actually was because I think a lot of fans showed their true colours and got behind us. It was nice to see.

“It was a tough afternoon, to go two-nil down when there was a lot of expectation was tough, but we showed our character, resilience and what it meant to the lads to come back.

“I think people will make our own minds up about this squad, but I think we showed the togetherness which exists within the squad to get a result.

“We wanted to be positive against Hull and I think we were, we had 21 shots and they had four on target, so it was frustrating, but we were unlucky not to get three points.”

Newcastle’s only victory so far this season arrived at Gillingham in the Capital One Cup, followed by a 3-3 draw with Palace before the sorry performance at Southampton which ended in a 4-0 defeat.

Williamson said: “As a player you want to play the next day after a defeat like Southampton. You want to put it behind you and bounce back and I think, after a tough week, we did do that against Hull. We showed a lot of character.

"The reflection on the season is that we had Manchester City first game and our display was good, but we lost. That was a positive. They had fantastic players. At Aston Villa we could have quite easily won, we had the chances, and then Palace we were 3-2 up so you’d expect to hold on.

“Southampton was a tough and unacceptable afternoon. I think our luck changes soon and we will get that win, which we need.”

Goalkeeper Tim Krul and Yoan Gouffran and Emanuel Rivere miss out tonight through illness.

Crystal Palace (4-2-3-1): Speroni; Mariappa, Delaney, Dann, Ward; Jedinak, McArthur; Puncheon, Campbell, Zaha; Gayle.

Newcastle (4-4-1-1): Elliot; Janmaat, Williamson, Taylor, Haidara; Obertan, Anita, Colback, Sissoko; Cabella; Perez.