West Brom V Newcastle at The Hawthorns : Match Preview

09 November 2014 13:42
West Brom V Newcastle - view commentary, squad, and statistics of the game live.


Berahino open to Baggies exit

Saido Berahino admits he may have to leave West Brom to achieve his ambitions.

The striker has been handed his first senior England call-up and would be prepared to move with Manchester United, Liverpool and Tottenham all linked with the 21-year-old.

And Berahino, who is contracted to the Baggies until 2017, acknowledged he could quit The Hawthorns to progress.

"If that's what it comes to, it has to be that," he said. "I appreciate what West Brom have done for me and I am working hard to bring the club up. I just stay focused and right now I'm focused on West Brom and the games coming up.

"I just take each game as it comes, my aim would be to play in the Champions League, to be involved in the England seniors and go and play in World Cups and Euros.

"I take each game as it comes, work hard and I have a big vision and hopefully I can reach my goals.

"There will be more eyes on me but I know I can handle the pressure and I have just got to focus on myself and let the football do the talking.

"I've had a good start to the season and worked extremely hard and now I have the chance to progress even more. It's up to me to take it with both hands."

Jonas Olsson and Silvestre Varela are the only absentees for West Brom ahead of the visit of Newcastle.

Olsson is struggling with an Achilles problem while Porto loanee Varela is yet to regain fitness following a groin operation.

Record signing Brown Ideye may come back into the squad after being left out completely in last week's 1-0 win at Leicester.

Midfielder Gabriel Obertan will miss Newcastle's trip after tearing a thigh muscle.

Manager Alan Pardew has confirmed that the Frenchman will be sidelined for a minimum of six to eight weeks after undergoing surgery, but was coy over suggestions he could be out for four or five months.

Winger Rolando Aarons is a doubt with an unspecified knock, while striker Papiss Cisse is working to shake off the effects of irritation from the screws used to repair his fractured kneecap. Midfield enforcer Cheick Tiote (calf) is likely to miss the next two weeks, joining central defender Mike Williamson (muscle strain) in the treatment room.

Pardew has warned summer signing Remy Cabella he will have to toughen up if he wants to make it in the Barclays Premier League.

The 24-year-old midfielder, who has lost his place in the France squad after finding himself sitting on the bench for his club in recent weeks, has struggled to get to grips with the physicality of English football since leaving Montpellier.

Pardew is confident Cabella, who has himself admitted that the Tyneside public are yet to see the best of him, has the ability to make a major impact, but only if he can learn to ride the challenges which will inevitably come his way.

The Magpies boss said: "His conduct and professionalism are very, very impressive. That gives you heart that he's going to be a success.

"Obviously he's definitely got technical quality, but he's got to get a grasp. I don't think he really gets referees. He moans (in training) when me and (assistant) John (Carver) ref - and we're better than Premier League refs!

"He goes down and he thinks some of the challenges in this division should be fouls. He genuinely believes that - but they're not."

Cabella started the first six league games, but was eventually taken out of the firing line for the trip to Swansea on October 4.

He has been used as a substitute in each of the last three, all of which have resulted in victory for the Magpies, and Pardew is confident he is quietly learning his trade in a new environment.

The 53-year-old said: "I think he's beginning to get the intensity of the division. The cameos he's done have been significant - Spurs, Liverpool, they were significant.

"He's on the cusp of starting again now as he comes to grips with what this division's about.




Source: PA