10 Problems Newcastle Need To Fix To Avoid Relegation

3. Play Vurnon Anita

This is likely to get a lot of criticism, given the unfair dismissal of the Dutchman as too light-weight for the Premier League but that assessment is utterly ludicrous. Not only is Anita far more durable than his slight frame suggests - consider his impact at left-back against Palace when he came on - he is easily the most gifted technical centre-midfielder on the Newcastle books. Rather than playing both Tiote - a breaker by definition - and Colback - functional, smart but without the vision - Pardew should put Anita into the team and allow him to occupy the play-maker role that is missing between defensive and attacking midfield. For too long he has been considered a scape-goat, but the role he played at Ajax after moving from left-back is exactly what Newcastle need.