PONDERING PARDEW?

How does Alan Pardew’s time at Newcastle United compare to that of the managers who came before and after him? The simple answer is that it is somewhere in the middle.

Pardew’s win ratio of 38.38 per cent ranks him sixth in the list of the 13 managers who have led the Magpies since Kevin Keegan’s first spell in charge in the early 1990s.

His longevity was relatively unusual, and he will point to the high point of a fifth-place finish and qualification for the Europa League as one of the high points of his reign. His critics, however, will cite a couple of relegation battles and some lengthy losing runs as key lows.

The Northern Echo:

Since taking over at Palace, Pardew has undoubtedly fared much better. His 37 games in charge of the Eagles have featured 20 victories (a win ratio of 54 per cent), and interestingly, he has only presided over two draws in that spell.

 

HAPPY TO BE IN THE EAGLES NEST

Selhurst Park has proved a happy hunting ground for Newcastle in recent years, with their last away defeat to Crystal Palace having come in the old Second Division in January 1984.

Newcastle have played seven games at Selhurst Park since then, winning six (one of which was an extra-time victory in the League Cup) and drawing on their most recent outing on the ground.

The Northern Echo: palace newcastle 2013

That was February’s 1-1 draw, when a goal from Papiss Cisse helped ensure Pardew would not be able to celebrate an early success over his former employers.

Prior to that, Newcastle had claimed three successive victories that saw them score seven goals without reply, with the goalscorers including Yohan Cabaye, Hatem Ben Arfa, Ryan Taylor and Patrick Kluivert.

 

HELLO CABAYE

It won’t just be Pardew that Newcastle are meeting up with tomorrow – they will also find themselves encountering their former midfielder Cabaye, who joined Crystal Palace from Paris St Germain in the summer.

Cabaye was a huge success at St James’ Park, scoring 18 goals in 93 appearances and moving on to PSG for almost four times what Newcastle paid to sign him from Lille in 2011.

The Northern Echo:

The Magpies could have made their own move for the France international in the summer. It might not have worked, with the lure of moving to London a key factor in Cabaye’s decision to join Palace, but there is no doubt that Newcastle’s midfield currently lacks someone with the poise and vision of the 29-year-old.

Last weekend, Newcastle were beaten by a side containing one of their former players in the shape of Leicester City full-back Danny Simpson. Will lightning strike again in South London?