ALAN Pardew is looking for a player to support, not replace, his defenders despite Saturday’s alarming 5-2 defeat at Fulham.

The reverse was Newcastle United’s biggest under manager Pardew, courtesy of a dreadful 17-minute spell in which four goals were shipped.

Pardew went into the January transfer window clear a central defender was his priority.

However, he insisted that a terrible display will not change the nature of his search. “I wouldn’t want to,” he said when asked about changing his back four.

“We want to bring a defender in, that’s what I’ve said and we’ll try and do that if we can because we ain’t got no cover. If we had an injury at centre-half, we’re going to look vulnerable.”

With centre-back Steven Taylor out for the season with a ruptured Achilles, Pardew’s only defensive alternatives are the versatile Ryan Taylor and James Perch – both midfield substitutes at Craven Cottage. Jonás Gutiérrez played right-back for Argentina at the last World Cup, but has been a near-ever-present in more advanced positions this season.

Newcastle’s only signing this month has been £7.5m striker Papiss Demba Cissé from Freiburg.

Not over-reacting to a demoralising setback was the theme of Pardew’s post-match analysis.

He seems determined to keep a calm demeanour in Tenerife, where his squad are warm-weather training until Wednesday.

“The phone will be switched on and I’ll be monitoring the transfer window,” Pardew confirmed. “We’ve got a great squad and we’re looking now to the FA Cup. There’s nothing we can do about Saturday, it’s gone, but we’ve got to make sure we get through the FA Cup.

“I was just disappointed, disappointed for them. Really there’s not many times I’ve been disappointed as the manager of this team this season.”