Luke Edwards, the north-east football writer at the Daily Telegraph, says Newcastle boss Alan Pardew will be sacked if they finish outside the Premier League’s top ten this season.

The Toon Army have lost their last five straight league games and face Arsenal, Cardiff and Liverpool in their final three matches of the season.

Their only home game is against the Bluebirds on May 3 and with 11th-placed Crystal Palace just three points behind Newcastle, finishing outside the top ten is a real possibility.

And Edwards told Kick Off: “If he doesn’t win at home to Cardiff they’re going to drop out of the top ten and Mike Ashley will sack him. He was given the very public objective at the start of the season that the club was aiming for a top ten finish.

“If they’re not in the top ten it’s going to be remarkable if he keeps his job. Alan Pardew is in a fight at the minute. He’s into his third year now, going into his fourth season and it feels very stale.

“If he drops out of the top ten I don’t think he can have any complaints about losing his job. Even if they stay in the top ten, I think he’s going to have to fight to save his job and he’s going to have to persuade Mike Ashley that he can remotivate these players and rebuild the team in the summer.”