It's all messy and not nice ... but most of all ... Pardew could have "shit in his own nest".
Sir Alex Ferguson has always been on hand to help Pardew - throughout his managerial career - and this could be a crossroads for the pair of them.
They have been friends, and Pardew has often told of the times the Man Utd boss has helped him in troubled times.
That is SURE to end now. And perhaps that is sad.
The Scot was furious after Dean overruled assistant Jake Collin and awarded Newcastle's second goal in the Red Devils' 4-3 win on Boxing Day.
Ferguson approached Dean as he made his way out for the second half, before rounding on the fourth official Neil Swarbrick and Collin.
Pardew said on Thursday that said Dean will have been "slightly disappointed" he did not take action against Ferguson at the time.
On Friday Ferguson hit back at his critics.
"I was demonstrative but I was not out of order," he said.
"The press have had a field day. The only person they have not spoken to is Barack Obama because he is busy,
"It is unfortunate but I am the manager of the most famous club in the world. Not Newcastle, a wee club in the north east.
"I was demonstrative. I am always demonstrative. Everyone knows that. I am an emotional guy. But I was not abusive.
"I shouted Mike over. We walked towards each other. I was only on (the pitch) three or four yards. That has been overplayed.
"The problem for me is that the profile of this club is huge.
"Alan Pardew has come out and criticised me. He is the worst at haranguing referees. He shoves them and makes a joke of it. How he can criticise me is unbelievable. He forgets the help I gave him, by the way."