Pardew warns Fergie: Beware angry Magpies

Alan Pardew reckons the “anger” he witnessed in Newcastle’s dressing room last weekend is bad news for Manchester Uniited.

The Newcastle boss feels he learned an important lesson in the aftermath of losing the club’s 11-game unbeaten run at Manchester City last week.

Instead of seeing a group of players just glad to get a game against the league leaders out of the way without being ­embarrassed, Pardew saw a different ­reaction.

Newcastle created enough chances in the 3-1 defeat at Eastlands to merit a draw, and Toon’s manager says the experience has focused minds on taking points from the champions at Old Trafford on Saturday.

“Last weekend, I learned that my players think they’re a good team" said Pardew. "Sometimes as a player, you go to these big games and think it would be nice to come out the other end, but that wasn’t the feeling in our dressing room afterwards.

“There was a feeling we could have done better - there was a little bit of anger that we could have tried that little bit harder.

“It’s psychological as much as physical in games against top teams.

"When you go to Manchester United and walk out of the tunnel with 76,000 fans screaming and all wanting the ball go in one way, it’s very difficult. And some find it difficult to produce their best ­performance.

“We genuinely thought we could have done better [last weekend] – and it’s important that the players feel that. Training has been lively this week.

“When you get a defeat, you look at everyone’s stats: Did they run enough? Did they work enough? Did they pass the ball enough? And you put it all up for the players to see.

"But there’s a work ethic here that we expect and that we need to take and improve upon.”

But Pardew loved being the underdog against City and added: “I’ve always been involved in teams trying to fight against the tide and that’s what we are going to do. We’ve got to swim that bit harder and work that bit harder.

“I think there was genuine disappointment [at City] because we felt we could have done better and we proved in the second half we could have been better than first half. We were more than a match for them in the second half and we need to take that to Manchester United.

“There were a couple of tactical things to do differently and individually we can work harder, and will have to work harder, against United.

“The fact they are smarting after a disappointing Champions League game and have a bit of catching up to do to City, means this game is a big priority for them.

"We have been studying them over the last two weeks and they are still a massive force and the odds are stacked against us.”

Newcastle defender Danny Simpson has revealed his Old Trafford roots by releasing a picture of himself as a United player, aged just 12.

The Salford-born defender still keeps in touch with the likes of Rio Ferdinand, who has helped guide his career.

He says that such is the care Sir Alex Ferguson has for his former youngsters that the United boss still follows his fortunes and has advice when they meet at matches.

Simpson played six games for United in between loan spells and said: “I looked up a picture the other day – I put it on Twitter – of my team when I was 12 years old. And it’s funny because there’s Fraizer Campbell, Ashley Grimes and Danny Guthrie in it as well. Good memories.

“Sir Alex is like a dad, not just to players. He’s a legend. He just said to me, 'It’s time to move on' and he thought if I progressed like he thought then I’ll do all right.

“He always asks me how I am and how my family are. That’s the type of man he is.

"I saw him a few weeks ago. It’s always good to see him. He remembers everyone.

"It would be nice this week if we have a chat after the match and we’ve taken some points off them.”

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