8 Areas Newcastle United Must Improve Upon To Cope With Papiss Cisse's Suspension

8. Ayoze Perez Needs To Add Further Goals To His Undoubted Ability

It seems harsh on Ayoze Perez that so much is now expected of a player who was only supposed to have a bit-part role in his first season in the Premier League - but the Spaniard has been brilliant at times and has proven he has ability, and Newcastle United sorely need him right now. If you'd offered him five goals in the Premier League at the beginning of the campaign he'd almost certainly have snapped your arm off for it, but he hasn't netted in 2015. His last strike came during the 3-2 victory over Everton at St James' Park on December 28 and, with Cisse on fire, Newcastle were not suffering too much as a result. But their top scorer is now absent for a likely seven matches - and all eyes are now on a 21-year-old who can do things on the pitch that nobody else in the Newcastle squad can. Although he looked tired against Crystal Palace last month, two games on the bench and a week-and-a-half off should hopefully give him the energy bump he needs. Five goals from 17 starts is not exactly prolific though - and Perez will need to get closer to a ratio of a goal every other game to keep Newcastle ticking until the end of the season.