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Even the best centre-forwards need a bit of help.

None of them can do it on their own even if some of the greatest appear capable of scoring goals out of nothing. Alan Shearer, yes even he, only plundered as many goals because he had a bit of assistance along the way.

Not only did he always have a partner close by, Craig Bellamy being a particularly fine example in Newcastle United colours, but during a series of what Sir Bobby Robson once described as “long, intense” chats, the great man would stand in front of his captain and explain how he wanted him to receive the ball on the half-turn, and for the No9 to stop playing with his back to goal.

It is, of course, the bleeding obvious to say Shearer was as good a striker as anyone on the planet during his peak years, which seemed to last forever.

But he was not close to best with his back to goal. So Sir Bobby, smart man that he was, made sure that never happened. Cue an awful lot of Shearer goals.

It was the same with England. Teddy Sheringham and Michael Owen were two terrific players in their own right, but their task in part was to provide support for their star partner.

Shearer would not have been useless in a 4-2-3-1, a formation which relies so heavily on the lone frontman being the type happy to play with their back to goal for much of the game, but he would have been wasted. Therefore, neither Newcastle nor England asked him to fulfil this unfamiliar and uncomfortable role.

Papiss Cisse is the current incumbent of Shearer’s old jersey. He, too, struggles as a lone striker. Just like his predecessor, that’s not his game at all.

poll loading Who should partner Papiss Cisse against Leicester on Saturday? 0+ VOTES SO FAR Play him as a lone striker Manu Riviere Adam Armstrong Ayoze Perez Facundo Ferrerya

The difference, however, is that too often Cisse has been asked to play in that role when, if anything, he is more of a penalty box predator than even Shearer.

The Senegalese has always played his best stuff when he had a partner beside him. This is something that must be reintroduced by Alan Pardew now Cisse is back in the team and back among the goals again.

At 29, he should be at his peak. Four goals in three games, all of which were the mark of a natural goalscorer, proved the almost forgotten man at St James Park is back, if not at his best, then on his way to the level we all know he can operate at.

It would be a crime if Cisse on Saturday started against Leicester City in a 4-2-3-1. At the very least he should be the focal point in a three-man attack, and even better with someone up there alongside him.

Whenever Cisse has had a reliable partner, he’s scored goals for Newcastle United. Indeed, whenever there has been a frontline including Cisse and AN Other, goals have always come even if Cisse himself has been out of touch. The best season of his career came in 2011/12, which began with Freiburg and ended at Newcastle.

Of those 22 goals he plundered, 13 came in the black and white jersey, ranging from tap-ins to the spectacular.

Cisse joined a Newcastle team full of confidence with genuine hope of a top four finish. But for him, the most important aspect was that in Demba Ba he had a willing and intelligent partner in every game he scored in over those incredibly productive four months.

Ba’s goals dried up because Cisse took over his mantle. They were, however, a brilliant combination. Ba could play on his own, but Cisse could not, so he took over the main striking role.

The roles swapped again the following season, before Ba moved on to Chelsea in the January.

It was Ba who scored goals, with Cisse having to contend with a supporting role. But support he did. His unselfish runs were a huge asset to Ba, as they were 12 months later when he was put in the team to back up Loic Remy.

If Cisse is in a Newcastle team that does not for all intents and purposes employ just one man up front, then goals do come.

When that isn’t the case, and it’s Cisse who has been asked to lead the line on his own, the team have and will continue to struggle. It’s that straightforward.

He scored eleven goals for Freiburg before his £9million move to Tyneside. The German side did play a formation of 4-2-3-1, but when you examine how the team lined up that season, it was essentially a four-man frontline. Cisse was given a lot of help.

In the second half of the 2012/13 season, following Ba’s departure, he scored six goals in league and Europe over a nine-game period. It coincided with when he had Yoan Gouffran for company.

And even last campaign, which brought the grand total of four goals, he always did better when the team was set up to help him out more.

Two games spring to mind.

Against Crystal Palace, Cisse scored a last-minute winner after being denied a few times by the excellent Julian Speroni and rank bad luck.

That day he played for the most part facing the Palace goal. The presence of Luuk de Jong helped because the senior man didn’t have to cover so much ground just to get a touch.

The previous Saturday, a rather dismal defeat at Fulham, saw Cisse pass up two chances, one a good save, the other a bad miss. But at least he was having a punt at goal. A lack of confidence, rather than dearth of opportunities cost him.

De Jong hardly pulled up any trees, but just being out on the pitch did something for Cisse.

Newcastle finished the Swansea City game with a 4-3-3 and chasing an unlikely winner. Pardew has to start with this formation against Leicester or perhaps get Emmanuel Riveire to play just behind Cisse.

The Frenchman is full of running and does not have an ego that would make him feel unworthy to do Cisse’s dirty work. Same goes for Ayoze Perez.

There is only one natural goalscorer in a Newcastle United team desperate for goals. It therefore makes a bit of sense to play to his strengths.