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Alan Pardew has revealed that his backroom team and players felt like “rubbish” after losing to Sunderland last weekend – but believes his troops are in the mood to claw back some respectability at Chelsea today.

Pardew’s side is depleted after the Magpies lost Cheick Tiote to a hamstring injury this week, while Yoan Gouffran and Fabricio Coloccini are also injured and Loic Remy suspended after his red card at Norwich City.

Now United need to address both a poor run of one win in seven matches, but also the feeble derby day defeat against Sunderland.

Speaking about the mood of the players in recent days, Pardew said ahead of today’s big game against Chelsea: “The players have been brilliant. They felt absolutely rubbish on Monday and Tuesday as you can imagine.

“We were all very, very disappointed, as our fans were.

“But we have got our heads up. And we’re back on it”

Pardew took only partial responsibility for the defeat against Sunderland.

Given his star player Yohan Cabaye was sold to Paris St-Germain just before the window shut and then was not replaced, some fans had sympathy for Pardew.

Yet fans know that it was his job to rouse the players and motivate them for the derby.

Pardew reflected: “We let ourselves down at the weekend for sure. And in some ways that is my own fault.”

But explaining his reasons why United crashed to a gutless display against the Wearsiders, Pardew said: “We are looking for a different style. We can’t replace Cabaye with another in our squad.

“We haven’t got another player in the group that can do what he can do. We have to change our style a little bit.

“It didn’t quite work on Saturday and we’ll have another look at Chelsea, which is a different type of game anyway.”