Newcastle United boss Alan Pardew hailed Hatem Ben Arfa after his stunning goal in victory over Blackburn Rovers.

The mercurial Frenchman emerged from the frustration of having to bide his time on the bench since his return from an horrific leg fracture by marking a rare start with a stunning 70th-minute equaliser.

Pardew said: "It's the greatest goal, in my opinion, I have ever seen with my eyes because just the technical part of it - to beat six players, to skip past people, left-foot, right-foot, cut-back, accelerate, everything that was involved in it, it was an unbelievable goal.

"I am absolutely chuffed for him."

Ben Arfa's contribution came at the end of a week during which he spoke of his disappointment at being unable to force his way into the team, although his manager had no problem with his comments.

He said: "I didn't have to clear the air with him. His comments this week, I read them and I thought they were spot on.

"He understands that this is a big agenda for him - he needs to do well here.

"At some other clubs, it hasn't gone so well and he is doing everything in his power to make it happen here, and that's good for us.

"He's had situations in France where his talent hasn't come to the fore as much as it should have, perhaps, and then he has had a terrible injury here.

"He knows this is a great opportunity at this football club. He probably feels that he could play for France, and I know the French Federation look at him very closely.

"Is he going to emerge because he has got the talent that he showed today? We are all hoping he does, of course."