Chelsea 0 - 2 Newcastle

Boss looking for Magpies to bounce back from disappointing loss

Alan Pardew is confident Newcastle will have a different mentality against Chelsea after their loss to Wigan.

The Magpies head to Stamford Bridge on Wednesday night having slipped out of the top four with their 4-0 drubbing at the Latics.

With three games left to play, Pardew's men could yet finish anywhere between third and sixth in the Premier League, and that means the prospect of UEFA Champions League football returning to St James' Park remains alive, if less likely than it was on Saturday morning.

In that respect, Wednesday night's game could be regarded as a dress rehearsal for the type of fixture that might lie ahead.

Pardew said: "Absolutely, and that's how we should approach it. Our players, perhaps you could argue, might have had one eye on it, I don't know.

"But we certainly didn't turn up in the first half at Wigan, and I am pretty sure we will have a different mentality on Wednesday night.

"There's no expectation on us, but there is pride because we hurt our pride on Saturday and we are all hurting a little bit."

Determined

The reverse at the DW Stadium ended a run of six successive league victories and while Pardew knows exactly how difficult the final three fixtures are going to be, he is determined his team will finish the season doing what they have done for much of it to date.

He said: "The last three games are going to be about our season in terms of making sure we finish strongly.

"I am not bothered if we lose all three, if I am honest, but the performances have to be right because we are playing three good teams and two away games in there.

"The performances need to be right. It wasn't on Saturday, and that's unlike us.

"But of the last seven games, we have won six, and that's what we have got to lean on.

"This team doesn't need to measure itself against anybody, we have proven that all year.

"But these are big games and we want to perform well in them for our fans. We want to give our fans an end to the season that makes them proud, because we have done absolutely brilliantly."We certainly didn't turn up in the first half at Wigan, and I am pretty sure we will have a different mentality on Wednesday night.Alan Pardew

Chelsea had the better of the game early on, and Cheick Tiote was booked for a challenge on Fernando Torres.

But in the 19th minute Cisse scored his first. He set himself up to put away an excellent volley that left Petr Cech with little chance.

Chelsea came back into the game but it was Newcastle who came closest to scoring as the first half closed.

Hatem Ben Arfa's cross found Demba Ba who beat Cech but hit the crossbar just before the break. 

Midway through the second half Tiote took a heavy blow and after a long delay was stretchered off with Ryan Taylor replacing him.

As the game wound towards full time Chelsea had possession and half chances but late on it was the brilliant Cisse who settled the result.

His 13th goal in 12 games came out of the blue as he shot from an outrageous angle to beat Cech from 25 yards. A goal that gave Newcastle a 2-0 win.