ALAN Pardew claims the absence of Andy Carroll and Cheik Tiote means Sunderland will start tomorrow’s Wear-Tyne derby as firm favourites.

Newcastle travel to the Stadium of Light looking to achieve a first derby double since the 2005-06 season in the wake of October’s 5-1 victory at St James’ Park.

They will, however, be without Carroll, whose thigh injury has failed to improve, despite a week of rest and recuperation in Dubai, and Tiote, who failed to overturn a three-match ban imposed for his dismissal in last weekend’s FA Cup defeat to Stevenage.

The pair have been Newcastle’s most influential players for the majority of the season, and Pardew accepts their absence will be keenly felt as the Magpies attempt to avenge 2008’s 2-1 defeat on the banks of the Wear.

“It is a challenge for us because we’re missing some important players,” said the Newcastle boss, who watched the opening derby of the season from the sanctuary of his settee. “But it would be a massive win for us if we could pull it off.

“You have to make them favourites with two big players like Andy and Cheik out of our side. They have to start as favourites, so it would be a massive win if we could achieve it.”

Carroll’s absence is a particularly bitter blow, as Newcastle officials had hoped an extended rest would enable the striker to make the starting line-up tomorrow.

The England international missed the league wins over Wigan and West Ham, and the cup defeat at Stevenage in an attempt to guarantee his participation in the derby.

However, his thigh continues to trouble him, and he is already a significant doubt for next weekend’s home game with Tottenham.

“Andy won’t play,” confirmed Pardew. “He’s not even close really.

“We’ll just have to patch him up and repair things as quickly as we can over the next few weeks, but it’s a huge disappointment for the player.

He’s a local lad and he was desperate to play.

“We were hoping that a total rest would lead to a real improvement in his thigh, but that hasn’t really happened.

Although it’s not a long-term problem, he won’t play this weekend.”

With Carroll unavailable, much of Newcastle’s attacking onus will rest on the shoulders of a fit-again Shola Ameobi.

Ameobi has scored four goals in the last three derbies, and is expected to lead the line tomorrow alongside Peter Lovenkrands.

Jose Enrique and Jonas Gutierrez are also available after missing the trip to Broadhall Way, but it is Ameobi’s presence that will cause the greatest sigh of relief in the Newcastle dressing room.

The 29-year-old was the Magpies’ match-winner at Wigan, and has impressed Pardew in both of his appearances under the current boss’s control.

“Shola trained yesterday and came through that fine,”

he said. “He’s a massive player for a game like this. The performances he’s given for me have been outstanding, so I’d like to think he could continue in that vein if he gets the nod.

“I could have kept our injury situation quiet, but I thought it was only fair to the public to let them know. It’s not going to make any difference to Sunderland’s plans. I think it’s just an honesty that I wanted to bring here.

“Also, for ourselves, it makes it clear in the mind that we have a job on our hands. Not only are we missing Andy, we’re also missing a very influential midfield player who has been one of the stars of the season. We have two of our big players missing, so everyone has to pull that little bit harder.”

As a manager at Reading, West Ham, Charlton and Southampton, Pardew did not really experience a fixture with the same passion and intensity as a North-East derby.

The 49-year-old cannot wait to take his place in the visitors’ dug-out tomorrow, and has likened the occasion to the FA Cup final and playoff final he oversaw during his time at West Ham.

“That’s what it’s going to feel like,” he said. “There’ll be that certain feel you get when you walk in a stadium and there’s an electricity all around you. The expectation of it all.

“Spurs-West Ham and Southampton-Portsmouth is probably the closest I can think of from the clubs I’ve been at, but this is going to be in a different category in terms of feeling, I’m sure of that.

“Whenever you go into a derby, there’s always an enormous electricity around the game. You have a special cupfinal type of experience.

“But if you have good experience on the pitch and a game plan, hopefully you can get on the front foot.

“So, for us, it will be a case of stepping on to Sunderland and meeting the challenge head on.”