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Alan Pardew returns to the dugout at the Emirates tomorrow night insistent that both he and Newcastle United will be better for his presence on the frontline.

And having accepted “criticism and speculation” over his future during a torrid run of five straight Premier League defeats and only four wins in 2014, the Newcastle United manager says that while the target of a top-10 finish does not constitute an ultimatum from Mike Ashley, he is determined to stop the rot and avoid it clouding a once promising campaign.

The Magpies remain ninth in the table with three to play – at Arsenal tomorrow, home to Cardiff City then away to Liverpool – but only two points ahead of in-form Stoke City, who complete their season at home to Tottenham Hotspur and Fulham, and away to West Brom.

Pardew has completed the seven-game ban – three from stadia, four from the touchline – he incurred for headbutting Hull City midfielder David Meyler.

Though he disagreed with elements of the punishment, he accepted a fate he found tough and, he continues to stress, “an issue for the team”.

So panic over.

The Toon boss admits his team’s “desperation” contributed to last Saturday’s defeat to Swansea City, and says they must remain “calmer”.

But back in the driving seat, Pardew is adamant that confidence remains buoyant at St James’ Park and determined to ensure Newcastle end the season on a high.

“Confidence isn’t waning,” he said. “But when you haven’t won for a while you become a little bit desperate to get the result and I think that showed at the end of the Swansea game.

“We were desperate for the win and ended up throwing away a much-needed point, which would have been a positive result moving forward. We just need to be a little calmer in possession.

“When you remove the manager, there is an issue for the team. Whether it is picking up a player or a little word from the touchline, little things like that, you don’t know how significant they can be.

“It was a punishment. I’m not saying I agree with all of the punishment, but I accepted it. It’s been tough being away from my team. I said I would look at whether I’m best watching from the stand, but I think I’ll go back to the dugout. I think I’ll be better for it. I’ve talked to people I think are important, and going forward I think I’ll be a lot better on the sideline than I have been.

“I’m sure there will be some banter from the (Emirates) crowd, but I have no problem with that.

“The most important thing for me in the short term is results. Our fans want a win and they want a performance at Arsenal.”

So too, however, do the Gunners.

Though they have won their last two games, against West Ham and Hull City, they had failed to win in their previous five (albeit including a penalty shoot-out victory over Wigan Athletic in the FA Cup semi-final).

They hold the coveted fourth Champions League spot still, but are only a point ahead of and under intense pressure from Everton.

The precarious nature of the situation is such that even Arsene Wenger’s position has come under scrutiny.

Yet the next longest-serving manager in the top flight accepts the pressure on his own predicament.

“When you lose five games as Newcastle manager you’ve got to expect criticism and speculation about your job,” said Pardew. “That comes with the territory and I accept that, but I’m confident the team is in a much better place this week than it has been.

“That’s partly because of the quality we have got coming back in (Moussa Sissoko is available following injury), but we’re also playing an Arsenal team back to full strength with (Mesut) Ozil and (Aaron) Ramsey.

“We need a big result in our next two games and I like to think we can get it.

“The short-term run we are on has clouded the picture, but we can’t get away from it. You live for the moment in football. The performance against Swansea was much better.”

But good enough to fuel belief in finishing 10th or higher, and claiming the bonuses such an achievement would reportedly accrue? That was the deal, right?

“No, that was just our goal, it wasn’t an instruction (from Ashley),” Pardew said.

“Football doesn’t work like that. It’s the team’s goal and the club’s goal and I’m determined to get that finish. I’ll be very disappointed if we don’t.”

Yes, 11th would be failure.