DESPITE fears surrounding the fitness of a number of Newcastle United's international names, Alan Pardew is expecting to report a clean bill of health for Sunday's visit of Tottenham Hotspur.

Pardew was relieved to have Yohan Cabaye and Demba Ba back at the Magpies' Benton training ground yesterday and showing no ill-effects from their time on duty with their country.

The Newcastle boss had been concerned by the pair's fitness after reports suggested both were going to be serious doubts for the visit of Spurs.

However, Pardew was satisfied with the club's medical department's assessment that there are no lingering problems and both are expected to train tomorrow as Newcastle look to extend their unbeaten start to the campaign to nine matches.

"As a Premier League manager I'm always nervous during the international break," said Pardew. "It is not just injuries, you don't know how much travelling they're doing and what training programme they are on while they're away either.

"Jonas (Gutierrez), for example, has had two long journeys with Argentina. You're just not party to any of it so it is a bit of nervous time. But the ones that were due back have come back and look in good shape. Demba Ba is back, Cheick Tiote is back and so is Yohan Cabaye.

"Demba is absolutely fine, there is no injury there and he's in good form for us at the moment."

Ba had been the biggest concern because of the explanation given by Senegal coach Amara Traore for the striker's inability to face Mauritius in the final qualifier of the Africa Cup of Nations.

Traore said: "When Demba arrived last Thursday evening for the first training session, it was felt the ground was really hard for him, and with his knee problem we preferred not to take a risk."

But Newcastle sources insist Ba's problem was not related to the knee injury which resulted in a breakdown of a move to Stoke when he failed a medical a two years ago.

He is expected to slot back in to the Newcastle forward line on Sunday, when he will be hoping Cabaye can supply him with the passes to add to his four goals.

Cabaye may have been replaced just after the hour by former Newcastle target Kevin Gameiro in France's 1-1 draw with Bosnia & Herzegovina, but it was unrelated to the ankle problem which kept him out of Friday's win over Albania.

It was the 25-year-old's eighth cap and when he checked back in to the Newcastle training ground yesterday he was soon given the go-ahead to prepare for his next Premier League outing.

Cabaye has not only established himself as a crucial figure in the Newcastle starting line-up, he has also quickly become an important member of Les Bleus.

France coach Laurent Blanc said: "Yohan is becoming a major player. He is technically very good, intelligent in his movements and has an interest in defensive withdrawal. He has shown for Newcastle and France just what he is capable of."

While Cheik Tiote, who came through Ivory Coast's victory over Burundi, Ba and Cabaye were back on Tyneside yesterday, Pardew does not expect Gutierrez or goakeeper Tim Krul to be back at the training ground until tomorrow.

But as neither Gutierrez nor Krul - for Argentina and Holland respectively - figured in either of their country's matches, Pardew is not worried about either returning with an injury.

Following Hatem Ben Arfa's return to the training ground after a brief spell of compassionate leave in Tunisia, Pardew will have plenty of options when Spurs come to St James'.

"One of the good things about the free weekend is that it has given us the chance to get the likes of Hatem Ben Arfa up to speed," said the Newcastle boss.

"He is looking sharper in training and there are one or two others that maybe benefited too. It is a chance for Sylvain Marveaux and Dan Gosling to get that little bit more work under their belt."

Tottenham, however, face an anxious wait to learn if striker Emmanuel Adebayor is fit for the trip to the North-East.

Adebayor has been struggling with a hamstring strain picked up in the derby victory over Arsenal 11 days ago. He is rated 50-50 to face Newcastle.

If he does miss out it will be a significant boost to Newcastle, who will know that he has scored three times in four outings since moving to White Hart Lane.

* Mehdi Abeid bagged a brace as Newcastle's reserve defeated York City reserves 3-1 in a behind-closed-doors game yesterday.