Hatem Ben Arfa's future at Newcastle took another twist on Sunday night after the player revealed that manager Alan Pardew didn't include him in the squad for the televised match against Arsenal tonight. The 27-year-old Frenchman has struggled for form and fitness in a disappointing season at St James' Park and looks certain to leave the Magpies in the summer after a series of bust-ups with Pardew, and was linked with a move to Serie A giants Roma at the weekend. Despite returning to fitness from a thigh injury, that kept him out of the defeat to Swansea 10 days ago, Ben Arfa confirmed in an Instagram post that he won't be travelling to the Emirates Stadium but stated his hope for a Newcastle victory. "The manager didn't pick me in the group to go to London for the game against Arsenal," he said. "It is not a problem. I hope my team-mates will win at the Emirates Stadium to make our fans happy." Pardew previously stated that he would continue to select Ben Arfa despite the pair exchanging words after the defeats to Manchester United and Stoke City, with the Sunday People claiming the former Marseille winger had been banished to France by the club. Why he continues to overlook the creative talents of Ben Arfa remains a mystery to every Toon fan given his side have scored just twice in seven matches since the infamous 4-1 victory at Hull at the beginning of March. One of those two goals was assisted by Ben Arfa after he came off the bench in the 1-0 victory over Crystal Palace and supplied the cross for Papiss Cisse's late winner. Although his fitness remains an issue, Newcastle's backroom staff feel he is carrying too much weight, Ben Arfa is one of the few players in the squad capable of providing an attacking spark and refusing to acknowledge that could come back to bite Pardew if the club slip out of the top 10 before the season ends.
Pardew previously stated that he would continue to select Ben Arfa despite the pair exchanging words after the defeats to Manchester United and Stoke City, with the Sunday People claiming the former Marseille winger had been banished to France by the club. Why he continues to overlook the creative talents of Ben Arfa remains a mystery to every Toon fan given his side have scored just twice in seven matches since the infamous 4-1 victory at Hull at the beginning of March. One of those two goals was assisted by Ben Arfa after he came off the bench in the 1-0 victory over Crystal Palace and supplied the cross for Papiss Cisse's late winner. Although his fitness remains an issue, Newcastle's backroom staff feel he is carrying too much weight, Ben Arfa is one of the few players in the squad capable of providing an attacking spark and refusing to acknowledge that could come back to bite Pardew if the club slip out of the top 10 before the season ends.