Newcastle United manager Alan Pardew knows the importance of a positive result at Swansea City as speculation over his future intensifies.
Reported comments by Mike Ashley that Pardew had one game to save his job prior to Monday s 1-0 Premier League defeat to Stoke City were written off as tongue-in-cheek by the Newcastle chairman, but that joke could wear thin if results do not turn around soon.
The St James Park club, who are without a Premier League win this season, currently sit 19th in the table, ahead of rock-bottom Burnley on goals scored alone.
Pardew knows the pressure from all quarters will only increase if his side come away from the Liberty Stadium empty-handed on Saturday.
There s not much to say we need to get a win, he said. No matter what I say to some reasonable people it means nothing, we need to win.
I spoke to the chief executive and we discussed ways of trying to help the team and getting the team playing to its capacity.
Our fans want to see us play a brand of football that we can t quite put together right now. We re trying to do it and have quality.
It is about fighting and digging in at the moment as a team, and if we do that then something will fall our way.
In contrast, Swansea are currently enjoying a lofty position in the Premier League occupying fifth, despite a run of three matches without a win.
The Welsh club head into Saturday s fixture with an impressive recent record against Newcastle, having won the last four encounters between the sides.
However, manager Garry Monk knows he is preparing to face a side with something to prove, and he is well aware the visitors should not be taken lightly.
[It will be] a very tough game, they are a good squad with good players, he stressed. I know they re in a difficult moment but I ve been there and players will scrap and fight for every point because they become different animals.
It s a game we re looking forward to where we re looking to perform, but we re wary.
He [Pardew] is an experienced manager and I think they ll be fine. They need to get through this but I think they ll move on.
Jordi Amat and Leon Britton (both knee) are sidelined for Swansea, while Angel Rangel serves a one-game ban following his sending off in a drab 0-0 draw at Sunderland last weekend.
Rangel s most obvious replacement, Dwight Tiendalli (groin), is facing a race against time to be fit, so Monk could hand the versatile Jazz Richards a first league start for the club since New Year s Eve 2011.
Newcastle remain without the services of Siem de Jong (thigh), Rolando Aarons (hamstring) and Davide Santon (knee), but Mehdi Abeid is available again following a suspension.
Ryan Taylor made his long-awaited return from a knee injury in a behind-closed-doors friendly victory over Carlisle United this week.
