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Saturday, 17 August 2013, 15:00

Barclays Prem

Pardew banking on Debuchy

Alan Pardew rued Newcastle's injury absentees after a 2-1 home defeat by Everton, but revealed French international Mathieu Debuchy was close to bolstering his side.

Last Updated: 03/01/13 at 14:43 Post Comment

Alan Pardew: Newcastle side have lost nine out of 11 games

Alan Pardew: Newcastle side have lost nine out of 11 games

Papiss Cisse had given the hosts an early lead but Leighton Baines and Victor Anichebe replied to condemn last season's Europa League qualifiers to a ninth defeat in 11.

It was a miserable end to a day that saw star striker Demba Ba withdraw from the squad and travel to London ahead of a proposed move to Chelsea but Pardew pointed to the absence of players such as Hatem Ben Arfa and Yohan Cabaye, before confirming reinforcements were imminent.

"That deal is going to come down to the medical because I hear discussions have gone well on the finance side," Pardew said of Debuchy, who was in the St James' Park crowd.

"If it's passed he will improve us considerably. He's an experienced player with great quality. He might have made a difference tonight.

"It's obviously we're missing one or two big players and probably Everton edged it in terms of experience and quality on the pitch.

"We need some new bodies in, we need some bodies out of the treatment room and we need to get our best side back on the pitch because we won't hide form the fact that we are right in it now and we have got to get out of it.

"But we have to take heart from the performances we are giving. I can't fault my players for the commitment and effort. Maybe a break here and there we would have got something from tonight but it wasn't to be."

Baines's equaliser came from a free-kick awarded when Fabricio Coloccini tussled with Marouane Felliani but Pardew lamented Martin Atkinson's decision.

"It's a soft decision. (Fellaini's) 6 ft 5, he's hustling and bustling and giving as good as he gets, which you'd expect from a player of his ability. I just thought it was something and nothing.

Unfortunately for us it's four or five minutes before half-time and it's knocked the wind out of our sails. It was a key moment."

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