Alan Pardew commented:

"I’m disappointed for him (Mathieu Debuchy) and disappointed for us but I don't think we can have too many complaints.

"I think Mathieu has been our best player this last period, and he is an honest player. He genuinely went for the ball. There was no malicious intent, but you can't take off with two feet and he knows that.

"We are going to suffer, and so will he. He will be a big miss for three games, and obviously it affected us today. Unfortunately we couldn’t find that breakthrough before the sending off because ­obviously that changed the game. 

I thought it was a penalty. Fortunately the forward had a big touch, otherwise we might have lost another player (Tim Krul) - I thought the referee got that right. That was the deciding factor in a very tight game.

"I can't fault the players. I thought they were terrific in their application and attitude but with this programme, with 10 men, you're always going to be struggling. 

I thought it was a game we had good control over but unfortunately we couldn't get the breakthrough before the sending off. Obviously that changed the game."

Keith Downing:

"Newcastle came with seven wins out of ten and have some fantastic players.

"We had to make sure we nullified their strengths. I thought we did that and restricted them to few chances. I thought we created one or two really good opportunities.

"It was a good penalty, he hit it well. Saido stepped up and fair play to him. He is a confident boy. He understood the consequences of it as it was a big pressure penalty. Chris Brunt has produced a fantastic assist. Chris gets underestimated here.

"The sending off made a big difference and opened the game up for ourselves, but they always looked a threat on the break. We had to be careful but we have made some positive changes. I always intended to do that."

Then came the penalty decision and conversion, after which Ben Arfa wasted the chance to shoot before Cabaye hit a weak half-volley straight at Ben Foster. Poor and annoying, but not enough to expunge memories of recent awaydays when it went right at White Hart Lane and Old Trafford.

And getting our campaign medals out, thoughts return to the utter desolation felt at full time in our last Jan 1st away game, back in 1992. Trudging out of Roots Hall after a 0-4 battering by Southend United, we were firmly in the Division Two brown stuff and looking beyond salvation.

Experience has taught us that the saturated festive fixture list generally brings mixed returns in terms of points and performances, but in hindsight a fresher line-up may have been wiser today against a misfiring Albion who were without a victory in their previous nine games. Any possible benefit gained from putting Vurnon Anita and Papiss Cisse back in the starting XI though would presumably have been negated by doing the same with Ben Arfa.

The eternal question of whether to change (alter, rotate or weaken as your view dictates) the league team for the FA Cup is slightly altered this time round, with the certain absence of messrs Coloccini and Debuchy dictating defensive thinking for more than just the visit of Cardiff City. Mapou Yanga-Mbiwa, Massadio Haidara, Steven Taylor and Paul Dummett all now come into the reckoning, but who will feature on Saturday remains to be seen. 

Last season's shocker at Brighton was blamed on injuries (Coloccini and Cisse), international duty (Tiote) and transfers (Ba) but Anita, Shola, Santon and Williamson all still started in Sussex for a team who were in fifteenth spot. Their contribution was as negligible as no-marks like Mehdi Abeid and Nile Ranger, but due in some part to the role they'd played in games against Manchester United, Arsenal and Everton over the festive period.

This time round the absence of that quartet from the FA Cup team would be commented upon and doubtless justified as insurance against further absences for upcoming Premier League games. But having enjoyed an injury-free run so far in this campaign, coping with a couple of absences should be something we take in our stride - we don't have to hoy in James Tavernier to make up the numbers this time round.  

This cuts both ways: with top-flight status secured, Champions League qualification now almost impossible and a Europa League place seemingly undesirable to the Barrack Road hierarchy, a serious tilt at the FA Cup should be our top priority - and to hell with all the wittering on from Paul Lambert et al about taxing schedules. Seize the chance, pick your strongest team, don't invent injuries.

If not this year, when exactly will Pardew have the guts to lead an assault on the silverware that he supposedly craves? This is a stronger squad in better form than 12 months ago and with players not in the current first XI who are capable of doing a job in league and cup. He just has to pick them on Saturday, and again in each round. You want to do something for the fans? do that.

After all, even JFK has an FA Cup winner's medal in his trophy cabinet (from 1967) - along with his Wisden Cricketer of the Year award, Wimbledon men's singles trophy, US Masters title.....

Niall MacKenzie