ALAN PARDEW expects Jose Mourinho to pay special attention to Moussa Sissoko when Chelsea visit Tyneside tomorrow, and is braced for interest in the Newcastle United midfielder when the transfer window reopens at the start of next month.

Having served a one-match suspension during Tuesday’s 1-1 draw with Burnley, Sissoko will return to Newcastle’s starting line-up as they look to record a third successive home victory over the current Premier League leaders in tomorrow’s televised lunch-time kick-off.

The 25-year-old midfielder scored a winner against Chelsea in his second appearance in a Newcastle shirt, but after a blistering start to his Magpies career, his form dipped markedly throughout the majority of last season.

A summer spent representing France at the World Cup finals appeared to reenergise him, and he has been his side’s most influential player for the majority of the current campaign, with his driving runs from midfield forming a key part of Newcastle’s attacking threat.

As a result, he has already begun to attract outside interest, and while talk of a potential £15m bid from Arsenal remains speculative at present, Pardew admits it would be no surprise to see some of the Premier League’s leading sides making a more formal approach once the transfer window reopens.

“We have not had contact from anybody else, or heard from anybody else,” said the Newcastle boss. “But I take the point that he is playing for a club where big clubs have come before and taken players away.

“I understand that, so therefore I guess he is a player they will be looking at. That's all I can say because he has been terrific for us.

“He is only a young player, 25, and he has already got 27 national caps for France. This is a guy who could win 50, 60 or 70 caps for France in the future. He is a powerful player, and he is a better player now than he was back when he first played against Chelsea. Don't get me wrong, he had a great day back then, but he is better now.”

Back in February 2013, Sissoko scored a second-half equaliser against Chelsea before bringing the house down with an 89th-minute winner, and he was also a member of the side that secured a follow-up success against the Blues last November.

His role in the Newcastle side has fluctuated somewhat since then, with much of his time spent on the right-hand side, even though many of his more influential performances have come when he has been pushed infield to play off the shoulder of a striker.

He has also been utilised in a deeper-lying midfield role from time to time, and while it remains to be seen where he is deployed tomorrow, Pardew claims the Frenchman will go into the game looking to atone for his senseless sending off during last weekend’s 1-0 defeat at West Ham.

The Magpies manager also expects Sissoko to be uppermost in Mourinho’s thoughts as the Chelsea boss looks to extend his side’s unbeaten start to the season.

“I think Moussa owes the team a little bit if I am honest,” he said. “That sending off was needless and he would possibly be the first to admit that. On the other hand, if there is one player Jose will have a close eye on, it is Moussa, and that’s because he impacts the opposition in an offensive way. He’s been absolutely superb for us this season, and I’m looking for a big game from him.”

Pardew was at Stamford Bridge on Wednesday night to see Chelsea retain their six-point advantage at the top of the Premier League table courtesy of a 3-0 win over Tottenham.

Mourinho’s men have won 16 and drawn five of the 21 matches they have played this season, raising hopes they will emulate Arsenal’s ‘invincibles’ by going through an entire Premier League season without suffering a defeat.

“They’re very strong and very organised, as you would expect, and very difficult to break down, particularly when they take the lead,” said Pardew. “They controlled the game I saw (against Spurs) and are sending out the right sort of messages at the moment.

“They’re unbeaten, but somewhere along the line, they’ll slip up. Hopefully, on Saturday, we can exploit any weakness that they have.”

Pardew will run the rule over a number of his players later today before settling on his starting line-up for tomorrow’s game. Fabricio Coloccini has returned to training but is unlikely to be risked at such an early stage of his recovery from a calf problem, while Mike Williamson and Daryl Janmaat are carrying long-standing knocks that continue to cause concern.

Like Sissoko, Jack Colback is also back after suspension, but Rolando Aarons remains a week away from full fitness while Davide Santon and Siem de Jong will not be available until the New Year.

Ryan Taylor continues to recover from his latest knee problem, and has been pencilled in for a possible first-team return during the festive programme.