Pardew expects Fabricio Coloccini and Papiss Cissé to return from the respective hamstring and thigh injuries which kept them out of the FA Cup tie. He is also hoping Jonás Gutiérrez, Yohan Cabaye and Steven Taylor could return from more serious injuries.
New signing Mathieu Debuchy will be thrown straight into the starting line-up, having signed on Friday.
“The one that worries me is Perchy because he in reality would play at Norwich,” said Pardew. “It looks like he’s going to miss that.
“There was a clash of knees and he’s got a big swelling on his knee. We’re not quite sure why that is yet.
“And now Shola (is suspended) on the back of Cheick (heading off on international duty) and Demba (Ba joining Chelsea on Friday), we are very, very short. I think the board understand that and I think we need to do something about it.
“I would have liked to have brought one more player in (during the summer transfer window). I thought Debuchy was going to get done but it didn’t.
“Fortunately that is done (now), so he will be available for Norwich. That is going to strengthen us because I think that’s been a problem position for us.
“Hopefully we’re going to get a little bit stronger as we go now.”
Pardew has already stated a replacement for top scorer Ba, who netted twice on his Chelsea debut on Saturday, is his overriding priority. Loïc Rémy is Newcastle’s top target and rival Premier League interest adds greater urgency to attempts to sign the £8m-rated Marseille forward.
Ameobi’s unnecessary late challenge on David López earned the stand-in captain a second yellow card at Brighton. Pardew condemned the defender’s exaggerated reaction to a not-particularly fearsome tackle, but conceded: “Really I was expecting Shola to show a little more experience than that.”
Despite reported comments – taken out of context according to Pardew – from Coloccini’s father that the Argentinian (pictured left) wants a return to hometown club San Lorenzo, the manager insists his players, and indeed his club, remain united.
“I’ve got a united dressing room, the experience is strong, we just need our better players out on the pitch,” he said.
