ALAN PARDEW will not concern himself about Newcastle United's injury woes, claiming there are encouraging signs that fortunes on the treatment table will soon improve.
After starting the week with news that Steven Taylor will not play again this season with an Achilles problem, the Newcastle boss then received news Danny Guthrie will be out until mid-January with a groin injury.
Skipper Fabricio Coloccini has failed to overcome a thigh complaint, which will keep him out of this afternoon's trip to Norwich City.
The injuries mean James Perch starts at Carrow Road and he is likely to be partnered by Italian rookie Davide Santon. Dan Gosling is also in the squad while Haris Vuckic and Alan Smith are on stand-by to take Guthrie's place in midfield.
But Pardew - whose side have not won any of their last three games against Chelsea, Manchester United and Manchester City - is satisfied he will soon have more options.
"We have had a little run of injuries, which you can get at any stage of the season," said Pardew. "In some ways you can feel a bit aggrieved about that but, on the other hand, Cheik Tiote looks like he is not far away.
"He is not going to make this weekend but he could be back for the Swansea game next week. That will compensate for Guthrie.
"Mike Williamson is similar. When he comes back he has to build on last year, when he was terrific for us. Like Ryan Taylor, he has to take his opportunity."
An under-strength Newcastle, due to field a different back four for the first time this season, are expecting a tough afternoon at Carrow Road, where the Canaries have lost only twice since their return to the top-flight.
Pardew said: "Norwich are in the Premier League for the first season and are doing brilliantly. Once you stay in the division you get that extra TV money and you can build again.
"Paul Lambert has already shown he is a good manager with back-to-back promotions.
"If he gets the funds, he will make a team which can stay in the Premier League and have the same sort of run as Stoke, who have similar sorts of crowds. He has done a brilliant job."
What Pardew hopes for is that decisions go Newcastle's way this week after the frustration of facing David Luiz for 90 minutes last weekend, when the Chelsea defender should have been red-carded for tripping Demba Ba.
The Newcastle boss has been quite vocal in his belief that assistant referees should now be professional and, speaking last night, he explained why there needs to be a change of thinking.
He said: "Referees do not have a unit which is like a team.
"They should have a professional team. The referees are professional and the assistants should be professional.
"That would help them to get to know each other's game. They would know each other's flaws.
"The funding for training is something like £30,000-a-year, come on.
"Their whole budget, which includes travelling, is something like £8m, so why not? This is important for all clubs, not just us.
"We keep saying this is the best league in the world. Let's make it that and if we are going to make it that then let's have the best refereeing system. I think we can.
"I have no problems with referees. I think they are great and they should have more funding, that's the point I'm making. They should have more funds to train."
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