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Premier League: Newcastle coach John Carver ‘surprises’ former boss Alan Pardew with Selhurst Park selections

Image: John Carver: Said coming up against Alan Pardew made things slightly more difficult

Newcastle United caretaker coach John Carver said he tried to catch out opposite number Alan Pardew with his team line-up ahead of Wednesday night’s 1-1 draw with Crystal Palace.

Carver, who was Pardew’s No 2 during their time working together at St James’ Park, decided to hand striker Papiss Demba Cisse his first start since early December at Selhurst Park.

However, while playing a two-man front line initially surprised the Palace boss, with the Senegal international even opening the scoring just before half-time, in the end Pardew’s expert knowledge of his former players paid off as the home side drew level after the break.

“I know for a fact that he got a little bit of a surprise by our team selection,” Carver told Sky Sports News HQ after the match.

“I was brave from the start by sticking two strikers in the team. But it was not working for us and I needed to change the shape of the team, and I did.

“But when someone knows your team inside out, it is sometimes very difficult and I was expecting them to do something different.

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“Then he changed it and put [Jason] Puncheon into the middle of midfield and brought on an extra striker. He had quite a few strikers on at the end! And we knew he was going to put us under pressure.”