Pardew has transfer rethink

Best: Pardew praise

Alan Pardew has admitted he may not have to look for a new striker due to the fine recent form of Shola Ameobi and Leon Best.

The Newcastle manager had previously been on the lookout for somebody to support Andy Carroll, who is currently sidelined with a thigh injury.

However, Best and Ameobi both performed well in Carroll's absence as the Magpies drew 1-1 with local rivals Sunderland at the Stadium of Light on Saturday.

Best has impressed since Pardew's appointment as manager and scored a hat-trick against West Ham earlier this month, while Ameobi continues to be a handful for opponents.

Pardew is satisfied with his other attacking options as well and feels it may therefore be more beneficial to strengthen different areas of his squad.

"I have been really buoyed by Shola and Leon - they may just have saved me a problem looking elsewhere," he told the Evening Chronicle.

"And it's not just them. Peter Lovenkrands has done well too and we've got Phil Airey just beneath them.

"Shola and Leon were as good as the home strikers at Sunderland in Darren Bent and Gyan. They did very well indeed.

"That is good for us because we have Andy carrying an injury.

"This has altered my thinking in the transfer window. We might be looking to improve in other departments now."

Best praise

Cardiff striker Jay Bothroyd had reportedly been targeted as a possible new recruit but Dave Jones insisted earlier on Monday that he would be staying with the Welsh club.

Asked if there was any progress on a reported bid for Bothroyd, Pardew said: "It depends on other areas. We may look to strengthen there instead now.

"Leon Best under me has been very good indeed.

"He got the hat-trick against West Ham and, although he found it tough at Stevenage, that was possibly a bridge too far for him because he had been out so long.

"People say he was out of sorts, but I can only judge what I can see and I don't know if I feel I want to change things."