Newcastle United boss Alan Pardew insists there's no fitness concerns for Demba Ba.

Pardew insists that the knee ­injury that Stoke boss Tony Pulis described as a "ticking timebomb" hasn't caused the summer capture from West Ham any major problems.

He explained: "We don't do ­anything special.

"We don't even give him a rest day. He's not like Ledley King where he can't train for three or four days.

"There is a deficiency in that knee that has been highlighted and we know about. We can manage it, it won't be a problem."