Alan Pardew has blasted the agents who distracted his stars during the transfer window following a disappointing 1-1 draw at home to Aston Villa.

Newcastle managed to keep the key members of their squad that finished fifth last term, but not without vast speculation in the process. Cheick Tiote, Yohan Cabaye, Papiss Cisse and Demba Ba were all linked with summer moves but remained on Tyneside.

Pardew stated to The Daily Mail, “I have some sympathy with the players because if people or agents, and not necessarily their own agent, a different agent call them and offer them double money, it’s going to affect you.

“It’s not just us, its other clubs. There are some terrible people and agents in and around the game who do things like that, ring a player up and promise him the earth.”

One of Newcastle’s stars did save the day, France international Hatem ben Arfa blasting a rocket on his supposedly weaker right foot into the top corner, leaving Brad Guzan helpless, for the Toon Army’s equaliser.

Pardew added, “Hatem is a wonderfully gifted footballer. I didn’t actually realise it was his right foot until I watched the replay because I didn’t expect him to have that power.”

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Newcastle manager Alan Pardew has stated that key duo Fabricio Coloccini and Cheik Tiote have returned to fitness.

The Argentine centre-half picked up an injury on international duty, whilst the African battler has been out of action due to a calf strain picked up against Tottenham on the opening day of the season.

Pardew has revealed that the pair will be included in the match squad for the Magpies Capital One Cup match against Manchester United at Old Trafford on Wednesday night.

“Tiote gets a grip of a game and gives you a platform to play,” The Guardian have Pardew as saying. “

“You can start to dominate with somebody like Cheik. He puts other teams on the back foot. He’s one of our most important players. We need to get him back as quickly as we can and he’ll feature on Wednesday.

“Coloccini will get some minutes too. He gives us an assurance we’ve missed,” the coach concluded.

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By Gareth McKnight

Arsenal are keeping tabs on Crystal Palace’s Wilfried Zaha, and will make a move for him should Theo Walcott continue to spurn a new contract according to The Daily Mail.

Walcott is currently in the last year of his contract with the north London club, and has refused to extend his current deal, despite being offered £75,000-per-week.

It is believed that the England international wants to play in attack rather than as a winger, and wants assurances from Arsene Wenger before prolonging his stay at the Emirates Stadium.

However, Zaha has impressed for the Championship club, and the Gunners sent scouts to watch the star score twice for Palace against Burnley at the weekend in a 4-3 win.

The starlet is rated at around £12 million and is being followed by a host of top teams after impressing.

Arsenal have a track record of taking young players from the lower leagues, and Wenger feels that Zaha would offer a strong alternative to Walcott.

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Former Crystal Palace owner Simon Jordan has questioned the reasons behind Dougie Freedman’s decision to leave Selhurst Park to take the managerial role at Bolton.

Freedman had lead Palace to fourth in the Championship so far this season, before deciding to join Bolton who are currently sitting in 16th.

And Jordan believes there is more behind the move than just more money and a bigger stadium suggesting that Freedman should have remained at Selhurst Park to continue learning his trade as a manager.

Jordan told TalkSport: “In this situation, Dougie Freedman is managing a team who is fourth in the league and doing very well. So why is he joining Bolton?

“I believe that Dougie Freedman didn’t really want to leave Crystal Palace. He is probably wise enough to realise that he has got a lot of learning to do, and learning his trade at Palace, building up his skillsets, would be more prevalent than jumping out for a club like Bolton who are, to be fair, in a little bit of disarray after dropping out of the Premier League and now starting the Championship in the same way they finished the Premier League season.”

Jordan also suggested that the current owners of Crystal Palace may not have had a good enough relationship with Freedman and may have wanted him to leave in the near future anyway.

“I think this a situation where possibly, possibly, Crystal Palace might not have wanted Freedman for some perverse reason and this has now presented them with an opportunity that has solved their problems.

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“There’s no logic here. Dougie Freedman is a very, very popular character and he is very popular with the fans, and it can sometimes be difficult for owners to accept that their manager could be more popular than them.”

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Southampton welcome Tottenham to St Mary’s on Sunday looking to move out of the bottom three, while Andre Villas-Boas will be hoping for three more points to propel his side into the top four.

Southampton’s problems have been in defence this season, after they conceded another four at Upton Park during their last Premier League outing.

It’s a problem Nigel Adkins will have to address if his side are to get anything out of this fixture, with Tottenham looking very good going forward of late.

They lost a cracker 4-2 at home to Chelsea last time out, and will be looking to bounce back.

Gareth Bale is set to return to face his former club, after missing the Chelsea defeat to be with his partner as she went into labour.

Southampton will once again be without record signing Gaston Ramirez. Nigel Adkins explained how he expects the Uruguayan to be absent for another month at least.

Prediction: Southampton 0-3 Tottenham

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Manchester City manager Roberto Mancini has admitted that he unsure of the situation regarding long-term target Neymar.

The Brazilian attacker has been on the wanted list of the Premier League club for some time due to a succession of breath-taking displays for Santos in his homeland.

The club are believed to be preparing a move for the 20-year-old, but Mancini confessed that he’s unsure of the player’s situation ahead of discussions with City’s director of football Txiki Begiristain:

“I have read that Barcelona are buying Neymar but I don’t know if it is true or not.” The Italian is quoted by SkySports.

“When Txiki starts to work here this week, we can start to talk about the future. For us, that is very important.

“Neymar is a Santos player at this moment and I don’t know what will happen to him in the future.

“But I am very happy to work now with the sporting director because he knows the situation.

“We have talked on the phone and by messages and now we will meet in the next few days.”

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Neymar is widely regarded as one of the finest attacking talents in world football, attracting attention from the likes of Real Madrid, Barcelona and big spending Russians Anzhi Makhachkala.

There is little doubt that the Sky Blues have the financial muscle to compete with other interested parties, but it’s unclear as to where the youngster sees his long-term future.

On the 28th July 2011, Sergio Aguero flew into Manchester and signed a five year deal with Premier League giants Manchester City. On his debut for the club, against Swansea City, the Argentinian scored twice and created an assist.

By the end of the season, the 24-year-old had scored 30 goals for the Citizens. This tale is not a unique occurrence. Many a time in the English game has a foreign player arrived and thrilled the fans with net-busting strikes or breathtaking skill.

While rumours of some players arriving in the Premier League from around the world are met with scepticism, these 20 players are the  stars who could really make an impact on our shores. Most have seen reported interest from Premier League clubs, others probably wouldn’t ply their trade in England.

However, the one thing that all of these players have in common is their potential ability to light up the Premier League with their respective talents. Twenty players, born in 14 different countries, playing in 10 different leagues across the globe. Have a look for yourself and see if you would want any of these foreign stars at your club.

Click on Klaas-Jan Huntelaar to unveil the 20

 

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Crystal Palace manager Ian Holloway has hit out at Arsene Wenger over his approach in showing an interest to sign winger Wilfred Zaha for Arsenal.

The Arsenal boss has admitted he is keen on Holloway’s young prospect, while doubts of England forward Theo Walcott’s future at the Emirates still remain.

This has angered the palace boss who has warned off interest from the big clubs as he is reluctant to lose Zaha in January while his team are second in the Championship table and in the middle of a promotion battle to the Premier League.

“Why is he talking about my players? It’s not the game. I will be picking the phone up to talk to him as I don’t think it is right and proper with the greatest respect. That is totally bad etiquette.” He expressed to the Sun.

Zaha, 20, has been a big part of the Eagles success and the recently capped England player is rated at £20million, but clubs look like they will have to wait till at least the summer to make a move for him.

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“Wilf is a big part of our season. He won’t be available, no matter what the price is, in January.” Holloway added.

Swansea City forward Danny Graham has rubbished reports linking him with a January move away from the Liberty Stadium.

Graham has been overshadowed by summer arrival Michu this season and has found himself on the bench in recent weeks.

The North-East born striker was a revelation last season for the impressive Swans as he netted 14 times to become their top goalscorer under Brendan Rodgers.

Just three goals so far this term though has cast doubt over his long term stay in South Wales and clubs such as Aston Villa and Sunderland have been linked with a possible January move for the 27-year-old.

Like many players at the Liberty Stadium, Graham has adapted well to Premier League life after his £3.5million move from Watford 18 months ago but new boss Michael Laudrup doesn’t see him as a key player.

Despite dropping down the pecking order, Graham sees no reason to walk away from Swansea in the new year.

“I don’t see a reason to leave,” Graham told SkySports.

“I don’t know where these rumours come from. I can’t say enough times on Twitter about them.

“It was Wolves yesterday apparently, then there was Cardiff, Norwich, Sunderland,  Reading, Aston Villa  – I have been linked with everyone.

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“But the gaffer hasn’t said he doesn’t want me here so I don’t see a reason to be looking elsewhere.

“Don’t get me wrong, I don’t like sitting on the bench and just picking up money, I want to be playing.

“But the gaffer hasn’t said he doesn’t want me and that is probably the only time I will go – if the gaffer says we have accepted a bid.”

Manchester City shook off last weeks defeat in the Manchester Derby to beat Newcastle at St James’ Park.

Roberto Mancini couldn’t have asked for a better response after being denied a point at the death to arch rivals United six days prior as they produced a stylish performance on their way to victory in the North East.

A subdued first half display cost the Magpies dearly in their loss at Fulham on Monday night and a similar showing on Saturday that saw them fall two goals behind before the first 45 minutes was up.

It only took the visitors 10 minutes to break the deadlock when Yaya Toure threaded a superb ball through the Toon defence to Samir Nasri, who teed up Sergio Aguero to roll into an empty net from six-yards.

Nasri struck the post in the 20th minute, before suffering a groin injury and having to be substituted eight minutes before half time, while Aguero saw an effort cleared off the line by Mike Williamson and Carlos Tevez was denied by Tim Krul.

But their search for a second goal was ended in the 39th minute as Javi Garcia rose highest to head David Silva’s corner past Krul and in off David Santon, who should have done better on the post.

Newcastle came raring out of the traps after the break and within six minutes had reduced the deficit, Demba Ba heading beyond Joe Hart after Fabricio Coloccini had hooked the ball back into the City penalty area.

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The home side pushed hard for an equaliser with Papiss Cisse blazing well over after turning sharply in the box and Ba having two efforts saved by Hart.

However their efforts were all in vain as man of the match Toure wrapped up the points for Mancini’s men, coverting from close range from Pablo Zabaleta’s cut back.