Newcastle transfer news: Alan Pardew hopes to attract new players with good results

The Magpies take on Norwich this weekend

Alan Pardew knows Newcastle’s fortunes must change soon (Getty Images)

Alan Pardew is hoping Newcastle can extend their run of top form to help him both keep his biggest players at the club and attract new signings in January.

Back-to-back Barclays Premier League victories over Chelsea and Tottenham have given the Magpies' season a markedly different complexion and have gone some of the way towards proving Pardew's assertion that his strongest XI is more than capable of competing with the leading teams.

The 52-year-old has spent virtually every transfer window since his arrival on Tyneside in December 2010 praying the club could hang on to its biggest names amid fevered speculation over the likes of Yohan Cabaye, Hatem Ben Arfa and Tim Krul.

Newcastle flatly rejected Arsenal's overtures towards Cabaye during the summer - the Gunners did not come close to meeting their valuation of the player - and Pardew firmly believes the France playmaker's form for both club and country since - he starred in their 3-0 World Cup play-off victory over Ukraine in midweek - justified their stance.

He said: "Yohan's performance this week has validated what we did in the summer in not letting him go.

"I went to see Portugal and one or two of their players went for big, big money and I don't think they are as good as Yohan.

"Yohan proved that on Tuesday night - 'Le Petit Prince', he was called the next day in L'Equipe, and that's what he was. He's a fantastic player.

"It's important that we keep our results strong for keeping our players in January, but also to attract maybe one or two new ones."

Newcastle headed into the international break sitting in ninth place in the table following a battling 1-0 victory at Spurs in which keeper Tim Krul was outstanding.

They are only three points adrift of the top six and, with no European football to stretch their relatively meagre resources this season, are hopeful of making a much better fist of things than they did last term, when relegation became a distinct possibility.

However, Pardew knows they have to maintain momentum, something they have not always managed to do in recent years.

He said: "There have been many times, even before I was manager here, when this club has shot itself in the foot when it gets in a great position, and it's very important that we show the consistency on Saturday for our fans and bring a performance here that backs up Chelsea and Spurs, very important.

"We have got ourselves in a poised position, and now we need to capitalise on that, something we have not done well in the last 18 months.

"Go back two years, and we were capitalising on these positions, and that's what this team needs to bring home, that if we win, we can put ourselves right in the mix, and that's what we need to do."

Pardew will be without in-form full-back Mathieu Debuchy, who is suspended after collecting his fifth booking of the campaign at White Hart Lane.

However, he will have Fabricio Coloccini, Steven Taylor and Paul Dummett back after injury and Jonas Gutierrez following compassionate leave.

That will give him a range of options he has not enjoyed for some time and with potential match-winner Hatem Ben Arfa among those struggling to command a place in the starting line-up, he is delighted with the weapons currently at his disposal.

Pardew said "Hatem wants to play and obviously he wants to get into the France team for the World Cup, as all our French players do.

"They have all got a great chance now because, of course, the French manager will now look at the group around. He knows the players he has got and he is looking for those players who can give him an extra dimension.

"I think Hatem will be in that category, but he needs to get into the first team here, and he has trained very well this week.

"We have got two games coming up that you would like to think might suit him."

PA