Newcastle United boss Alan Pardew is happy to see the back of the festive season.

Toon lost 2-1 at home to Everton last night.

Pardew, who had seen his side lose 4-3 at Manchester United and 7-3 at Arsenal in their previous two games, said: "Let's be honest, we have had an awful run, but I thought tonight we gave a really honest account and we can't ask for more than that from the players we had on the pitch.

"But in the end, Everton had a bit more guile, a bit more experience and a bit more quality, and that's what we need to bring back.

"We have played Arsenal, Manchester United and Everton, three really, really top teams without our best team, far from it, but we have to take heart from the performances we are giving.

"But that ain't enough. We need some new bodies in, we need some bodies out of the treatment room and we need to get our best side back on the pitch because we won't hide form the fact that we are right in it now and we have got to get out of it."