United’s record in the League and FA cups is poor under Pardew, and hardly surprising when he sets out his lit of priorities at the start of the season.
Last season he admitted the Capital One Cup and Europa League were matches he could "do without", and I swear the late great Joe Harvey would turn in his grave hearing that.
And I remember talking to Kevin Keegan in Italy before our Anglo-Italian tie in Bari.
Keegan: "It's not a competition I would rave about, I'd rather be in the European Cup, but I'm going out to win this Anglo-Italian Cup ... trust me!"
Now the Capital One Cup is suddenly something Pardew will be taking seriously, because the knives are out.
We've had three years under Pardew, and what progress have we made?
He got us into Europe with Chris Hughton's team, and Pardew said on his first day in the Newcastle job "judge me after three years!"
WE ARE JUDGING!
Alan Pardew: “We’ve got to try to turn the situation into a positive for us, and get a couple of wins quickly.
“We all need a lift after that. As I say, it’s hard to take – an 84th-minute goal when you’ve bossed the second half.
“That’s football – it sometimes kicks you when you’re down. It’s kicked us, and I didn’t think we deserved it.”