Pardew headbutt overshadows Newcastle win at Hull

Alan Pardew was caught on camera headbutting Hull's David Meyler in the face. Picture: Getty

A Moussa Sissoko brace helped the visitors to a 4-1 win but the game’s main talking point came on 72 minutes when Hull midfielder David Meyler barged into Pardew as he looked to retrieve the ball for a throw-in. The Newcastle manager, pictured, no stranger to touchline altercations, squared up to Meyler before appearing to headbutt the Irishman. Referee Kevin Friend sent Pardew to the stand, with the FA sure to get involved.

Pardew said afterwards: “It was a heat of the moment thing – I massively regret it.”

Pardew, who has had touchline altercations with Paolo di Canio, Mauricio Pochettino and Manuel Pellegrini in the past year, continued: “I think I’m going to sit down now because that’s two or three incidents I’ve been involved in. I think I’m going to sit now. I didn’t mean to do anything aggressive but I moved my head forward and that’s enough. It’s a shame because it took the gloss off a fantastic performance from us. That’s really upsetting.”

Sissoko opened his account after ten minutes, sweeping home first-time after a counter-attack, and then took the game away from the Tigers with his second, minutes after Curtis Davies’ header had given the hosts hope at 2-1.

Newcastle’s second was a gift from Maynor Figueroa, the defender’s under-hit back-pass allowing Loic Remy to gallop clear to score into an empty net after rounding Allan McGregor. Vurnon Anita made it four in injury time.

Newcastle started the brighter and came close to opening the scoring in the fourth minute of the match when Yoan Gouffran’s strike from 20 yards drifted wide.

Hull nearly scored with their first foray into the Magpies half when Tom Huddlestone’s free-kick found Alex Bruce at the back post but his header from point-blank range was kept out by Tim Krul, who then denied the defender a second time. Hull’s frustration was doubled within 30 seconds as Newcastle broke quickly, the ball eventually coming to Mathieu Debuchy down the right whose low pull-back was met with a sweet first-time effort by Sissoko.

Hull nearly scored in the 36th minute when Shane Long was fouled 20 yards from goal. Nikica Jelavic’s set-piece came back off the bar.

Hull’s combination of ill-fortune and wastefulness in front of goal cost them three  minutes from the break when Figueroa under-hit a pass-back which was seized upon by Remy, who rounded McGregor before slotting into an empty net.

Hull needed a speedy response at the start of the second half and that is exactly what they got. Huddlestone’s free-kick was delivered into a crowd of players on the edge of the six-yard box, with Curtis Davies hanging in the air and nodding beyond Krul, who got a fist to the ball but could not keep it out.

Yet Hull’s hopes of a successful fightback were dashed within moments, a loose touch by Huddlestone in midfield inviting Sissoko to lead the breakaway.

His pass picked out Gouffran who drilled a low shot that was only parried by McGregor, and it was Sissoko, smartly continuing his forward run, who lapped up the rebound.

Hull struggled to mount a response in what time remained and Newcastle saw Remy and Gouffran both go close to adding to the scoring before Anita added the gloss with a fourth in injury time.