Newcastle United manager Alan Pardew has backed his captain Fabricio Coloccini to help turn his side's season around.
The Magpies currently sit bottom of the Premier League and have won only one of their last 13 league games, but Pardew believes that Coloccini's performance in their 3-2 League Cup win over Crystal Palace on Wednesday will act as an example to other players.
"I thought the character was emphasised by the captain, who was in a different league to every other player on the pitch in his position," Pardew is quoted as saying by Soccerway. "That was the example we needed."
"What we say is the Premier League is more important [than the League Cup] and I don't think any Premier League manager would disagree with that. But it's a competition we want to do well in for our fans.
"We want to win every game whatever the team we put out."
Pardew remains under pressure in the Newcastle hotseat, with owner Mike Ashley supposedly telling reporters that he will be sacked if he loses at Stoke City on Monday night.
Phil Archbold
