Source: PA
Pardew protects strike force
Newcastle manager Alan Pardew is determined to protect his limited pool of strikers as he prepares to build upon his side's astonishing Arsenal fightback.
Andy Carroll's £35million departure for Liverpool and Shola Ameobi's fractured cheekbone - the 29-year-old is due to undergo surgery on Tuesday - left Pardew with just Leon Best, Peter Lovenkrands and Nile Ranger available for Saturday's remarkable 4-4 Barclays Premier League draw with the Gunners.
Carroll's exit has stretched Pardew's resources to the limit, and he has admitted he will look to the free agent market to see if he can strengthen his squad with former Middlesbrough forward Jeremie Aliadiere, with whom he worked briefly at West Ham, among the players under consideration.
"There are one or two players we are looking at," he said. "I don't think we are going to get anyone who could impact on the first team, but on the bench, I need to turn round to that bench and have people who can affect the game.
"We will look, perhaps, to that market for maybe one or maybe two if necessary."
