Pardew calm despite collapse against Fulham

The Magpies saw a deserved 1-0 half-time lead transformed into a 5-2 drubbing after they completely lost their way at Craven Cottage to slip to defeat for the first time in 2012.

However, the club remains level on points with fifth-placed Arsenal, which lost at home to Manchester United 24 hours later, and is a point ahead of Liverpool in seventh. Pardew is also confident his side will bounce back.

Speaking from the team's warm-weather training camp in Tenerife, he told NUFC TV: "It was a disappointing game, but not a disappointing weekend, fortunately, because the results mean we are still right in there, and that's where we want to be.

"Arsenal lost, Stoke lost, Chelsea got a draw, so we find ourselves not too much different to where we were at the start of that game.

"It's gone, there's nothing we can do about it.

"The second half, we will reflect on and make sure that never happens again. We just lost our way, and that can happen in a Premier League season.

"But there is nothing to panic about or worry about. We are in a fantastic position and if our fans are a little bit concerned after Saturday, they shouldn't be.

"We are looking at those above, don't worry about that."

Newcastle will return to finalise its preparation for Saturday evening's (northern) FA Cup fourth round trip to npower Championship side Brighton before heading for Blackburn on Wednesday evening in the last of three successive away games.