Newcastle: Moussa Sissoko Has Been Best Player This Season

Echoing what our own poll results reflected, Alan Pardew has come out in the wake of the Liverpool victory to confirm who he thinks is the best player so far this season, and it's not Paul Dummett. It probably will be at some stage, but the young Geordie has been saved from the extra pressure for now because of the form of Moussa Sissoko. We already knew the Frenchman was one of the first men on Pardew's team-sheet, and now, thanks to some ridiculously good form in the past three two league games (and the Cup match against Man City), he's getting extra credit from his manager. When asked if it was helping Newcastle to be not as reliant on one player as they were with Yohan Cabaye, Pardew all but batted away the suggestion and said Sissoko was now that key player:

€œWell no, but you look at what we do and Moussa Sissoko is a big part of that. €œHe was a massive man today (v Liverpool). €œHe doesn€™t get man of the match because we just take him for granted but he is a huge presence in this team and been our best player (this season).€

So he agrees with WhatCulture NUFC readers that Sissoko has been the best so far this season, then. That's some way away from the adulation usually showered on Cheick Tiote, whose absence from the team has coincided with an improvement in form, attacking thrust and results. And that's no accident - without him Newcastle misuse less possession in front of the defence and can break more cleanly, which has been key. Pardew has a habit of talking up his favourites: he did it with Andy Carroll, he did it with Yohan Cabaye, and he's done it with Cheick Tiote so far this season. When the Ivorian leaves (sooner rather than later, if the rumour mill is anything to go by) the manager will have scored an unwanted hat-trick, and we can only hope that Sissoko isn't going anywhere for now. Do you agree that Sissoko has been our best player this season? Vote for your favourite below.