Newcastle in a battle to avoid Premier League drop, says Alan Pardew

Manager admits his side 'are not too big to go down' following insipid cup defeat to Brighton

Will Hoskins is mobbed after scoring for Brighton on Saturday (Getty Images)

Despite the droll protestations of Sir Alex Ferguson, Alan Pardew is not the easiest fellow to dislike. And in contrast to Ferguson, who chooses when and to whom in the media he will speak, Pardew is not selective in meeting his duty to answer for his decisions.

He did not duck one microphone on Saturday in circumstances that would have seen Fergie half way back to Manchester an hour after the game with lips zipped. But that will not spare Pardew the rod on Tyneside, where dissent is already growing after the failure of Newcastle United to raise a candle against Championship opposition in the FA Cup.

Poor Brighton, a positive tale buried beneath the news values that attach to the Premier League club. Never mind they have the plum consolation of a fourth-round home tie against Arsenal or Swansea.

Pardew made much of his deepening injury list and relative inexperience of the replacements to explain away defeat, none of which the supporters accepted. They have a point. And this was it: We are either Newcastle United or we are not, a folk institution central to the identity of our region or we are not. The minimum requirement is pride in the shirt and a responsibility to it reflected in commitment and effort in battle.

There was no battle at the Amex Stadium, no desire, no one prepared or able to take the team by the cajones and lead. The warriors all wore blue and white stripes, led by skipper Gordon Greer, reconstituted left-back Wayne Bridge, the indefatigable Craig Mackail-Smith and the best player on the park by a street, Liam Bridcutt.

Pardew takes his embattled squad to Norwich on Saturday in what has become a visceral struggle not to trade places with Brighton on the way down. "We need to keep a steady head, myself and my staff," Pardew said.

"We are frustrated. Now we are working around the clock to get players in and get them back. There is no doubt about it the form that we are in and the momentum we have got, we are fighting to stay in the Premiership. We are short. I think the board understand that. I think we need to do something about it.

"The fans have been brilliant. I thank them for that. But we have to try to get results quickly now. I have a united dressing room and the spirit is strong. We need to get more big-game players who can handle the responsibility of wearing the Newcastle jersey.

"I never thought we would be in the position we were in today, and we have to hold our hands up and say we should have bought more players. We're not too big to go down and we've got to fight in every game now to get all the points we can."

Pardew has France right-back Mathieu Debuchy, signed the same day Demba Ba joined Chelsea, available at Norwich. "He might have to play in two positions," he said. Skipper Fabricio Coloccini and striker Papiss Cissé are also likely to return. What he needs more than both is a heart that beats in black and white, or as he said so eloquently himself, players capable of "carrying the shirt".

Goals in each half from Andrea Orlandi and Will Hoskins were insufficient evidence of Brighton's superiority. Both had merit, particularly the balletic left foot adjustment effected by Orlandi to shape the ball past Rob Elliott for the opener.

"I wouldn't say it was genius, but it was great to see the goal go in. We played well, controlled most of the game, which against a Premier League team is not easy," Orlandi said.

Miserable Magpies: Pardew's run

* Newcastle have struggled since Alan Pardew's contract extension, winning just two of 16 matches.

4 Nov Liverpool (a) PL Drew 1-1

8 Nov Bruges (a) EL Drew 2-2

11 Nov West Ham (h) PL Lost 0-1

17 Nov Swansea (h) PL Lost 1-2

22 Nov Maritimo (h) EL Drew 1-1

25 Nov South'ton (a) PL Lost 2-0

28 Nov Stoke (a) PL Lost 2-1

3 Dec Wigan (h) PL WON 3-0

6 Dec Bordeaux (a) EL Lost 2-0

10 Dec Fulham (a) PL Lost 2-1

15 Dec Man City (h) PL Lost 1-3

22 Dec QPR (h) PL WON 1-0

26 Dec Man Utd (a) PL Lost 4-3

29 Dec Arsenal (a) PL Lost 7-3

2 Jan Everton (h) PL Lost 1-2

5 Jan Brighton (a) FA Lost 2-0