Boss: 'Injuries, But We Are Confident'

By Anthony Marshall - Newcastle United Club Reporter

Manager Alan Pardew is rueing the loss of Leon Best and Ryan Taylor to injury ahead of United's trip to Tottenham, but insists his side go into the fixture full of confidence.

Best and Taylor have been key players for Newcastle in their rise up the Premier League table this season, but the duo were both forced off during the first half of last weekend's victory over Aston Villa.

Following a scan, striker Best will be ruled out for the foreseeable future with medial ligament damage to his left knee, while the boss also expects Taylor to miss Saturday's game in North London through a leg injury.

"I think it will be very doubtful that we will see Leon (again this season), and that is a shame for us because he has been great," Pardew told the media.

"We have lost three or four players to long-term injuries, and have been a bit unlucky with that. Steven Taylor, (Sylvain) Marveaux, Sammy Ameobi and now Leon, so we have been unlucky on that front.

"We've also lost Ryan Taylor I think for this weekend, so it is really disappointing.

"But in terms of the players we do have available, they are in good form and we can take that into Spurs."

Newcastle go into the fixture on the back of successive wins against Blackburn and Aston Villa, having lost just once in five Premier League outings.

And Pardew believes that bodes well for a tough match against another side flying high in the table.

"It's a big game in the Premier League," he said.

"We've got ourselves in a great position, although we have some injuries so there are a few out. But we are still going to go there in good heart and hopefully get the right result.

"We can only go and do the best job we can do. We are a strong team and we are in good form, so we just have to take that into the arena."