Pardew plays down Champions League

Alan Pardew has played down Newcastle's hopes of securing Champions League football despite closing the gap on Tottenham to five points after a 3-1 win at West Brom.

Goals from Papiss Cisse (2) and Hatem Ben Arfa enabled the Magpies to move level on points with fifth-placed Chelsea in the Barclays Premier League before Shane Long's second-half consolation effort, but Pardew believes Newcastle are not well enough equipped to overhaul one of the top four.

Pardew said: "Are we Champions League contenders? I don't think so. The last 10 games are the most important ones in any season and we've won the first two of those. There are a lot of games left, a lot of points. But I don't think we've got the depth of squad to challenge for that (a Champions League place)."

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