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Mike Ashley’s lawyers have insisted comments that Alan Pardew will be fired if he loses to Stoke City were a joke.

The Magpies owner told London-based i newspaper in jest that Pardew had just one more game.

Ashley is reported to have said: “If we lose on Monday, Pardew is gone.

“I’ve had enough. He’s dead, finished.”

But Ashley’s legal team have claimed that his comments – made in a London bar on Thursday night – were not serious.

Club sources have insisted recently that Ashley intended to have patience with Pardew despite the club being rooted to the bottom of the table.

United were contacted on Friday night by the Chronicle about the remarks, but did not respond.