8:36AM, Fri Apr 6, 2012

Newcastle United Alan Pardew Predicts Demba Ba Resurgence

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Manager backs Toon hitman to rediscover his scoring form

Newcastle manager Alan Pardew has backed Demba Ba to rediscover his goalscoring form, insisting the striker will not be content continuing to play second fiddle to Papiss Cisse.

Ba has been overshadowed by Senegal team-mate Cisse since his arrival in January, with the winter signing scoring seven goals in eight appearances for the Magpies, including both strikes in Sunday's 2-0 win over Liverpool.

In contrast, Ba has only scored once, on Cisse's debut, since he returned from the African Nations Cup in February.

Pardew, speaking ahead of Newcastle's trip to Swansea on Friday, said: "Demba isn't going to be happy if he's not scoring goals.

"It's just the nature of the beast. He's a goalscorer so Papiss (Cisse) getting all the goals and getting all the credit isn't going to keep him happy.

"I hope he gets angry on Friday and slaps a couple in himself."

Newcastle approach Friday's game at the Liberty Stadium on a three-game winning run while Swansea have lost their last two league games against Tottenham and Everton.

Pardew believes his side's recent results will help to level the playing field in what he expects to be a tough trip.

Important

"We've managed to beat teams who are on their game and that's very important," he said.

"We've had a couple of upsets here and there in a positive way and upsets in a negative way, but what we have been is consistent.

"It's a very competitive league. We've been competitive every game.

"You play teams in tides really. Sometimes the tide is in and sometimes the tide is out.

"Swansea have lost a couple and their tide is out a little bit and we're very much in and that will even that fixture up as Swansea away is a very difficult game."

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Barclays Premier League

Pos	Team	P	Pts
14	Southampton	38	41
15	Aston Villa	38	41
16	Newcastle United	38	41
17	Sunderland	38	39
18	Wigan Athletic	38	36

Fixtures & Results

April

Europa League Group D - Thu 4
FT	Benfica	3-1	Newcastle
Barclays Premier League - Sun 7
FT	Newcastle	1-0	Fulham
Europa League Group D - Thu 11
FT	Newcastle	1-1	Benfica
Barclays Premier League - Sun 14
FT	Newcastle	0-3	Sunderland
Barclays Premier League - Sat 20
FT	West Brom	1-1	Newcastle
Barclays Premier League - Sat 27
FT	Newcastle	0-6	Liverpool

May

Barclays Premier League - Sat 4
FT	West Ham	0-0	Newcastle
Barclays Premier League - Sun 12
FT	QPR	1-2	Newcastle
Barclays Premier League - Sun 19
FT	Newcastle	0-1	Arsenal