ALAN PARDEW believes Newcastle United have the strength in depth to cope with suspensions to Moussa Sissoko and Jack Colback, who will both miss the game against Burnley on Tuesday night.
Sissoko’s two yellow cards in the space of a minute at Upton Park earned him his marching orders and a one-match ban while Colback faces the same punishment for accruing his fifth yellow card of the season.
Added to the blow of losing the pair of midfielders is the news that goalkeeper Tim Krul will be out for around a month with an ankle injury sustained in training, which leaves Rob Elliot set for an extended run in the side.
After Tuesday’s trip to Turf Moor, United play another six matches throughout December including tough assignments against Chelsea and Arsenal before the Capital One Cup quarter-final at Tottenham, a trip to The Stadium of Light to face Sunderland and then Manchester United Everton in the league. Krul is set to miss all those games and possibly others at the beginning of 2015.
Right-back Daryl Janmaat had to be replaced after 63 minutes of the 1-0 defeat to West Ham and is a doubt for Tuesday and Pardew admitted it is a blow to be without Colback and Sissoko but remains confident he has the resources to cope with absentees, with players returning including Fabricio Coloccini, although Mehdi Abeid is yet to reach full fitness.
“To lose Moussa and Jack for Burnley is tough for us but we'll have to get on with it,” Pardew said after his team’s first defeat in seven matches. “We've got one or two coming back this week, I think, that will feature in the Burnley game.
“Emmanuel Rivière didn't get on today because of the injury to Daryl but he's ready to play. Rolando Aaron's should be around on Tuesday, I think. Colo might be around.
“That's what Premier League squads are for and we've done absolutely superb with the guys who've gone now and the new guys will come in. We have to take it on the chin, we're not going to moan about anything today. West Ham just edged it.”
United’s manager also revealed how Krul how ended up on the treatment table, adding: “He just went out for a cross in the week and clipped his ankle, so ankle ligaments. We think four or five weeks maybe.”
And Pardew reckons it is important that history repeats itself if their resurgence is to continue.
“When we finished fifth, and I've had really good teams in the past, they come back quickly and although we've had more than a blow in terms of losing the game,” he added.
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