While Alan Pardew looks like the right man for the job at Newcastle, Patrice Evra certainly isn't the right man for the job at left-back. The Frenchman, a loyal servant for Manchester United for years, has deteriorated badly and has become something of a liability at fullback. At 32, Evra has lost that crucial yard of pace and can no longer compensate for his bursts forward in attack by tracking back to defend, with his positioning getting poorer. Against Newcastle, he was badly at fault for the Magpie's crucial goal, being mugged by Moussa Sissoko following a poor defensive header and left for dead as his compatriot escaped down the wing to find Cabaye for his winner. Over the summer, Moyes attempted to sign two new left-backs in Leighton Baines and Fabio Coentrao, which is perhaps indicative that he no longer has faith in Evra. Going off this showing, he'd be wise to make a repeat attempt to sign one of the aforementioned two in January.
Joseph is an accredited football journalist and has interviewed nearly all of the current 20 Barclay's Premier League managers. He is also a correspondent for Bleacher Report and has written for Caught Offside and Give Me Football.
