Alan Pardew: 'Yohan Cabaye enjoying new role'

Newcastle United manager Alan Pardew has heaped praise on midfielder Yohan Cabaye for his match-winning display against West Ham United this afternoon.

Cabaye scored twice to help the Magpies to a 3-1 victory over the struggling Hammers, opening the scoring in the first half before sealing the three points in the closing stages with his second of the game.

Pardew believes that the Frenchman is enjoying the new free role he has been given and talked up the importance of his presence in the side.

"He has a great role for us, for the team. He gets almost a free role in the team in the number 10 shirt and I think he's enjoyed that," PA quotes Pardew as saying.

"He's added goals to his game. The first one was a real class, individual goal - the touch, and the way he moved, and the sublime moment he took to finish it.

"And I thought he was a class act all day really and he has been a big player for us, and it's helped us get a rhythm in the midfield, which worked well for us today."

The victory leaves Newcastle eighth in the Premier League table, five points behind fifth-placed Everton.