Matt Le Tissier: Newcastle would not be struggling if Alan Pardew had stayed

Matt Le Tissier believes Newcastle United would not be fighting Premier League relegation if Alan Pardew had stayed at the club.

Pardew moved to Crystal Palace in January after a long campaign against his tenure by some sections of the Newcastle supporters and his place was taken by John Carver on a temporary basis until the end of the season.

Since then, Palace have risen to 12th in the Premier League and Pardew has been suggested as a potential manager of the year, while the Magpies under Carver have recorded their worst run of form since 1977 and are just two points clear of the relegation zone.

Le Tissier is in no doubt the departure of Pardew was the turning point at Newcastle, who he believes will remain a top-flight side because their final fixtures of the season are not as tough as those of Hull City.

“A massive turning point was the manager leaving,” Le Tissier told The Morning View on Sky Sports News HQ. “I know he wasn’t particularly popular there but if Alan Pardew had stayed, they wouldn’t be in the position they are in now.

“I’m not saying they’d be in the top four but putting a temporary manager in charge, at that stage of the season, led to players looking at it and saying ‘this manager isn’t going to be here next season and we’ve got enough points to stay up’.

“They’ve taken their foot off the gas a little bit and they players have got to take responsibility for that. They find themselves in a precarious position because of the games they’ve lost.”

I know he wasn’t particularly popular there but if Alan Pardew had stayed, they (Newcastle) wouldn’t be in the position they are in now.

With Burnley and QPR already down, there remains just one relegation place to be filled in the final two games of the Premier League season.

Hull City currently occupy 18th place and travel to Tottenham this weekend before wrapping up with a home game against Manchester United on the final weekend.

Newcastle travel to QPR before facing West Ham at St James’ Park and Le Tissier feels they will produce what is required in those two games to ensure their survival.

“Hull have got two difficult games left and looking at the fixtures, Newcastle should stay up comfortably,” he said.

“Hull have to hope Newcastle will lose two games and that’s fairly realistic but deep inside those Newcastle players they will find one performance in those matches to keep themselves up.”