JOHN CARVER wants the Newcastle United job on a full-time basis but insists he will not make decisions just to please the boardroom.

The Magpies’ caretaker manager, who could have goalkeeper Tim Krul back for the trip to Chelsea on Saturday, has been told to carry on as if he will be in charge for the next two matches.

Carver has made no secret of his wish to take over from Alan Pardew on a full-time basis, despite failing to win either of his opening fixtures since being given the responsibility of leading the squad while the search for a new manager goes on.

But he has already been criticised by sections of fans for the team he selected to face Leicester City in the FA Cup on Saturday; when Leonardo Ulloa’s goal before half-time was enough to knock the club out of the competition.

Over the last 18 months the spotlight has been on Newcastle’s cup performances with the club making the Premier League a priority over a good run in either domestic knock-out competition.

And, after losing to the Foxes, Carver has had to deal with allegations that he fielded a weakened team to keep the board happy after he made seven changes to his starting line-up. Moussa Sissoko, Daryl Janmaat, Fabricio Coloccini and Jack Colback were among those left out.

Carver said: “I would like to put the record straight. I have not had a conversation with Mike (Ashley) since this situation happened. I had a conversion with Lee (Charnley, chief executive) late on Friday night, around about 10.30pm. We had just finished the team meeting.

“I said to Lee ‘this is the team that is playing tomorrow.’ That is a fact. I then told him the ‘these are the reasons why this is the team.’ He was a little bit surprised, I have to be honest.

“I told him the situation. I pick the team. I picked the strongest team I could pick without a shadow of a doubt. So I have a clear conscience of that. I took medical advice from the doctor.

“I actually physically felt sick when he told me about Colo, Moussa and Janmaat. Now he is the expert in this field and I have to trust his judgement. I am not a medical person so I don’t know.

“We played four games in eight days and you can understand players having problems and issues, and I have to take that as word. When he tells me these people aren’t available then it’s a big concern. In saying that, we still had enough quality, I think, to have done better.”

Sissoko has been the subject of strong links with a switch to Paris St Germain but Carver is adamant that injury is the reason why the French midfielder was left out. He could, though, face Chelsea.

He said: “Moussa has a tight right hamstring. When he comes to me, considering the way he plays and has been playing, I have to listen to what the doctor tells me.

“We are not going to force any player with a problem to play. We have to trust them and I trust the players 100 per cent – and I think they trust me as well.”

Carver has not been told either way whether he stands a chance of succeeding Pardew for the long term. Managing director Lee Charnley is working on a list of names he feels can slot in and work as a head coach with chief scout Graham Carr.

“I spoke to Lee on Wednesday morning,” he said. “He rang me and said I am definitely in charge for Chelsea and possibly Southampton – we have the break after that. There was no talk about beyond that. It was quite a brief conversation and I like it that way because it kept me focused. If it goes on any longer than that I will have to have a more in-depth chat with Lee.”

He added: “It’s the unfortunate thing about being caretaker manager. You are on interview all the time. It’s a bit unfortunate because normally a new manager is given time to put his ways across. But in this instance I am the caretaker and having a working interview.”

Newcastle had a behind-closed-doors friendly with Celtic at the training ground yesterday and Krul, Newcastle’s first choice shot-stopper, emerged through 45 minutes unscathed after recovering from a shoulder problem.

Carver hopes to play him at Chelsea. He said: “If he comes through this game without ill-effect he’ll definitely start on Saturday. It will be a tremendous boost for everyone. The players have got to have confidence in the person who is behind you. We’ve conceded a lot of goals recently so to have Tim between the sticks would be massive.”