Toon boss delighted that Newcastle have avoided the drop.
Newcastle boss Alan Pardew has risked the wrath of Tottenham by claiming he does not care if Arsenal win 4-0 at St James’ Park next weekend.
The Toon sealed their Premier League status with a 2-1 win at QPR yesterday and face the Gunners in their final match of the season on Sunday.
Arsenal will need a win to guarantee their place in the top four, and with it qualification for next season’s Champions League, while Tottenham will be hoping their north London rivals slip up.
Despite the magnitude of the match Pardew insists the priority is for Newcastle fans to ‘enjoy themselves’ on the final day of the season.
“We got an important result today,” Pardew is quoted as saying as Goal.com.
“I don’t really care if Arsenal win 4-0 if I’m honest – I’m sure Spurs will – but I only care that our fans enjoy themselves.
“I’m very pleased. It was a very important game for this football club. Particularly this year with the finance of the Premier League.
“I thought both penalties were dubious. We played well after that, showed great resilience and it is massive for the North-East to have a team in the Premier League.
The 51-year-old went to dismiss suggestions of a ‘rift’ in the Magpies squad and stressed that his side would be better prepared for next season’s league campaign.
“Accusations of a ‘rift’ are absolutely ridiculous. Those that made them will be sobbing in their beer today,” Pardew continued.
“I think if I put my best XI out every week we would be a top-eight side but I’ve only been able to put it out three times at most. It’s an unforgiving league and if you look at this division, the likes of Swansea and West Brom are only five or six points ahead of us.
“It’s been an unbelievable season and I think it’s been so, so tight because of the financial rewards at stake this year. I will make sure that we are well prepared for next season and thank God we are not in the Europa League again.”
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