ALAN Pardew has promised to keep calm and “work around the clock” to strengthen his Newcastle United squad this week.

The result could be five players returning from injury and at least one debutant at Norwich City on Saturday.

Manager Pardew is anxious to sign players after admitting the club should have done more business in the summer. But he is also keen to see some of his injured players make faster-than-expected returns after blaming their FA Cup exit on the lack of options available to him.

Newcastle were without ten injured first-teamers at Brighton and Hove Albion, while Cheick Tioté has left for the African Cup of Nations. Pardew also rested goalkeeper Tim Krul and put Sylvain Marveaux on the bench.

Even so, James Perch injured his knee and Shola Ameobi picked up a red card that will see him suspended at Carrow Road.

“The most important thing now is that we keep a steady head,” Pardew said after a deserved 2-0 defeat. “Myself and my staff are frustrated because we wanted to put out a better side.

“Now we’re working around the clock to get players in and players back because there’s no doubt about it, the form we’re in, the momentum we’ve got, we’re fighting to stay in the Premier League. I make no bones about saying that.

“Look at that Everton game, we were probably one quality player away from getting a draw or maybe winning it. We know we’re not far away but we really should be a lot stronger than that in the third round of the FA Cup.”