Alan Pardew admits his Newcastle United side face a tough challenge trying to find a way to shackle Liverpool's in-form strikers Luis Suárez and Daniel Sturridge.

The duo have formed a formidable partnership this season, prompting their manager Brendan Rodgers to claim there are not many better double-acts around. It is a view with which Pardew agrees wholeheartedly. "They carry a threat in front of you and in behind, which is the best threat you can have," he said. "If you defend deep against them, they pick it up short and particularly Suárez starts running at you and causes you all sorts of problems. Yet if you play a high line, then Sturridge's pace is a problem in behind.

"It's that mixture that is probably why they are having such success. It gives a back four a problem. But taking all of that aside, they are also great players and that makes it doubly difficult."

Fabricio Coloccini's absence through injury may make the process of containing the pair that much more difficult, although the Newcastle manager is hoping that his defenders will be up to the task. He is also planning to cause a few problems of his own with Loïc Remy in top form and Papiss Cissé having returned to goalscoring form in Senegal's 3-1 World Cup qualifier defeat by Ivory Coast.

"There will be two different formations and that will be important," Pardew said. "Liverpool will want to dictate with their formation and the most important thing for us is that we dictate. Our offensive players, if they can get Liverpool on the back foot, then we can have some success."