ALAN PARDEW is prepared to buck the national trend and rest players in Premier League games if he thinks Newcastle United can end a 57-year drought for domestic silverware.

The famous trophy has lost much of its appeal because many of this country's leading clubs have tended to concentrate more on the riches on offer in the Premier League and Champions League.

But Pardew, whose side also have an outside chance of a top four finish, is more than happy to rest players for league matches if it transpires Newcastle have a significant opportunity to win the FA Cup.

During his time in charge at West Ham he was criticised for fielding a weakened team just days before a semi-final with Middlesbrough at Villa Park in 2006.

The Hammers reached the final, stayed in the Premier League, and suddenly his decision to leave key players out of a league fixture with Tottenham in the build up was forgotten.

That is something Pardew would seriously contemplate again if Newcastle progressed to the latter stages once more.

"I actually did field a weakened team and got huge criticism at West Ham when we played Spurs," he recalled. "We were due to play Middlesbrough after a Saturday game and I rested six or seven players and Spurs beat us handsomely.

"I was not too popular in the East End at the time but then we won and I was popular. So I would consider it. It is all about prioritising what is important.

"Obviously the teams in the relegation zone and in and around the bottom of the Premier League, I sympathise with them when the FA Cup comes around.

"In that situation, your status and the financial impact is such that you have to focus on the league. You have to adjust to where you are as well. Horses for courses."

If Newcastle are to stand any chance of winning the FA Cup then they must overcome the next hurdle in front of them, which comes in the shape of Brighton & Hove Albion this evening.

The ambitious Championship club have already knocked Sunderland out of the Carling Cup this season and ran Liverpool close in the same competition at the Amex Stadium.

But Pardew, part of the Crystal Palace side that lost a Wembley replay with Manchester United in 1990, will be doing his best to remind all of his players about the importance of the FA Cup.

He said: "I just think it is the second biggest competition we can win, the biggest is the league and the chances of us winning that with the funds we have against some of the top clubs makes if very very difficult.

"I would not say impossible but very very difficult. The Cup levels the playing field and gives us an opportunity of winning a trophy and getting into Europe.

"If players from whatever country, cannot grasp that, then it is my job that they do. So I will stress the importance of this competition."

But Pardew, hoping Fabricio Coloccini recovers from a groin problem to play at the heart of the defence, will not be taking a place in the fifth round for granted against Gus Poyet's Seagulls.

"It is a tough venue playing Brighton, new stadium, they are having a good season and they have got some quality players," said the 50-year-old.

"The FA Cup, just by the nature of it, makes players excel and you do not get a jump in class quite as much as you do in the FA Cup.

"Sometimes you can jump three divisions or whatever and it just brings people to their best game. We have to be wary of that and make sure we have our best game because if we do, we'll win.

"Without naming names, we are pretty confident we know their starting line up. They are a good team and one that play expansive football, patient too, which is unusual in a Championship side. It will be interesting."

Pardew, who took his squad for a break to Tenerife in the early part of the week, is not worried about the mental state of his players following the 5-2 defeat at Fulham last Saturday. Supporters, though, will be looking for a positive reaction.

"The defeat to Stevenage in the third round last season was probably my most disappointing result," he said. "But there were a lot of circumstances surrounding that game.

"We are a lot stronger than that now. Obviously the opposition is that much stronger this time so it is a game I think we are going to have to be on our guard.

"We could have avoided the defeat to Fulham last weekend, so I'm not overly worried by the situation. What we must do is forget about that and go again."