The midfielder has spent the last three weeks on the sidelines with a hamstring problem.
Newcastle ended a four-game losing run in the Premier League a week ago, although I was not as convinced as some that the 3-0 victory over Wigan Athletic at St James’s Park was a turning point.
We played against a ten-man team for 82 mins, who had their own injury problems and were without eight first team players ... AND they gifted us an early penalty to ease the nerves.
But obviously Alan Pardew sees it in a different light, and he says the “resilience” on show that night is here to stay.
Alan Pardew: “We’ve put a new resilience in the team.
“I don’t care if Hatem’s fit or not, he needs to come in and understand there’s a different look to the team.
“The team’s got a little bit more drive in it, a little bit more energy.
“He needs to bring that in if he comes in against Fulham, or Manchester City (on Saturday). We’re not far away from being a good side.
“They’ve been hot and cold.
“We’ve had Hatem, and their outstanding player is Berbatov. He’s been terrific, and we’re going to need to make sure he doesn’t have a big influence on the game.
“They’ve got good pros. I’ve been to see Fulham a lot. They were on my doorstep when I was working in London.
“They’re very difficult at home. They’ve got a nice rhythm, and their fans don’t give them too much of a hard time.
“They can play poorly, and the fans will stay with them. You have to concentrate for 90 minutes at their place.”
Source: Newcastle United Mad
Source: FOOTYMAD
