Friday, 05 October 2012 15:44

LONDON: Newcastle manager Alan Pardew (pic) is calling on his players to take their European momentum into the Premier League's big home clash against Manchester United on Sunday.

Newcastle rediscovered the kind of rhythm which earned them their Europa League place last season to dismiss formidable French club Bordeaux 3-0 this morning as they climbed to the top of Group D.

The Magpies managed to do so without the services of key men Davide Santon, Jonas Gutierrez, Hatem Ben Arfa and Demba Ba, and saw Papiss Cisse, who scored his first goal of the campaign against United in the League Cup last week, find the back of the net once again.

Pardew revealed after the game that he had voiced dissatisfaction in the dressing room with his side's recent form, and got just the response he was looking for.

Asked what he had said, Pardew replied: "That will stay in the dressing room.

"It wasn't anything untoward, I just felt that tactically and the work of the team and our energy needed to improve to the standards we set last year.

"You are only as good as the standards you set, and we set ourselves standards last year that we had not reached until tonight, in my opinion, and thank goodness because we are playing Manchester United on Sunday, who are hurt from the Tottenham result.

"You can bet your life this place is going to be rocking on Sunday after that performance, and it is going to be a tough game for us and a tough game for United for sure."

"I think our energy levels will be good for United, I think our fans will be pretty excited about that fixture, and I am looking forward to it."

He said: "We came up against a better side, that's clear from the outset. They were certainly better in terms of finishing.

"We weren't dominated - we still created quite a chances, but every time they had a chance, they put the ball in the back of the net, whereas we missed our chances."

FIXTURES:

SATURDAY

Man City v Sunderland (7.45pm)

Home win

Chelsea v Norwich (10pm)

Home win

Swansea v Reading (10pm)

A draw

West Brom v QPR (10pm)

Home win

Wigan v Everton (10pm)

A draw

SUNDAY

West Ham v Arsenal (12.30am)

A draw

Southampton v Fulham (8.30pm)

Away win

Liverpool v Stoke (10pm)

A draw

Tottenham v Aston Villa (10pm)

Home win

Newcastle v Man United (11pm)

A draw

STANDINGS

   P    W D L    F A Pts
Chelsea 6 5    1    0 11 3 16

Everton    6 4    1 1 12    6 13

Man United    6    4 0    2 14 9 12

Man City 6 3 3 0    12 8 12

Tottenham 6 3    2 1    11 8 11

West Brom 6    3    2 1    8    5 11

Arsenal 6    2 3 1 10    4    9

Fulham    6    3 0 3 13    9    9

Newcastle 6    2 3    1    8 8    9

Swansea    6    2 1    3    10    9    7

Stoke 6    1    4    1    6    5 7

Sunderland    5    1    4    0    5    4    7

Liverpool 6 1    2    3 9 12 5

Aston Villa    6    1    2    3 6 10 5

Wigan       6    1    1    4 5    11 4

Southampton    6 1 0    5 10 18    3

Norwich    6 0    3 3    4 13    3

Reading    5 0 2 3    6 11    2

QPR    6 0 2 4    4 13    2