Alan Pardew brushes off sacking comments

Newcastle boss Alan Pardew has brushed off comments from owner Mike Ashley suggesting he will be sacked if his team loses at Stoke on Monday.

A report emerged overnight claiming Ashley had told a journalist he would dismiss the 53-year-old if the Magpies emerged from their trip to the Britannia Stadium empty-handed, quoting him as saying: "Dead. Finished. Over. One more game then that's it." .

The club immediately dismissed the remarks as a joke, a message which was reiterated as the manager carried out his pre-match press conference on Saturday morning.

Pardew said: "I've not seen him. [Ashley]. I've spoken to him this week - he's obviously very keen for us to get victories, that's what he's about. That's what we're about, winning.

"I've been made aware of his comments in the paper, I've been under pressure at this club for a number of weeks now. All I can focus on now is the team and that's what I'll do."