Super Souley suspended

Alan Pardew could be forced to use his fourth central defensive partnership in four Premiership matches next weekend following Souleymane Diawara's fifth booking of the season on Saturday.

The Senegal international will miss the crucial relegation clash against Watford at Vicarage Road as he serves a one-match suspension.

Diawara was shown a yellow card by referee Rob Styles for a second-half foul on West Ham United midfielder Yossi Benayoun.

And it's cruel luck for the centre-half, with Premier League rules stating that accrued bookings no longer take effect after the end of February - meaning it was the last match in which he could have earned the ban.

Pardew has recently had to reshuffle his backline on several occasions due to knee injuries to Hermann Hreidarsson and Madjid Bougherra, while Talal El Karkouri only returned from his own one-match suspension in the 4-0 demolition of the Hammers.

The Moroccan partnered Hreidarsson against Chelsea, it was a complete change for Diawara and Bougherra against Manchester United and El Karkouri returned to the side in place of the Algeria international against West Ham.