ALAN PARDEW wants to steer Newcastle United back on course after hitting heavy turbulence during a forgettable night travelling back from South Wales.

After witnessing Swansea City end the Magpies' four match winning run at the Liberty Stadium on Wednesday night, Pardew and his squad flew straight back to Tyneside.

The short flight encountered the worst British storm in 61 years en route and there were a few nervous passengers in the seats.

Pardew was relieved to have seen the plane touch down on the runway at Newcastle Airport safely and he was home a lot sooner than the team coach following behind from Swansea with all the equipment.

The Northern Echo:

TURBULENT TIMES: Newcastle United manager Alan Pardew and his team experienced a rocky ride back from South Wales to Tyneside on Wednesday night

“We've had some hairy journeys in the past, a couple of fly-bys in the plane as you do in the modern game,” he said. “All the clubs fly to most away games because you want to get the players back in to their beds as soon as possible to get that rest.

“Particularly when you've got a game on Saturday morning. It was a little bit hairy on Wednesday night and there was a lot of applause when we landed. I didn't hear any screaming from the players.

“John Carver (assistant manager) had a little bit of a wobble, he wasn't so brave. He looked a bit white when we got off. I remember at West Ham, Paolo Di Canio wouldn't fly.

“We can always lay on the bus, but our bus didn't get back until 9am Thursday morning. I don't think there would be many who would volunteer for that.”

Newcastle had also faced problems at the Liberty Stadium and Pardew hopes the 3-0 defeat was a mere blip in his side's recent resurgence.

Swansea dominated possession over the course of the 90 minutes and claimed the points through goals from Nathan Dyer, a Mathieu Debuchy own goal before a third from Jonjo Shelvey.

Pardew felt referee Howard Webb did not help his side's cause by failing to award two penalties for a handball from Ben Davies and a shove in the back on Yoan Gouffran from Ashley Williams.

But he said: “Hopefully it's a one-off slip up but as you know it is very difficult to win Premier League games. In every game the opposition gives you a different set of problems.

“Manchester United on Saturday will be different to Swansea. It might be that we need to tweak the team a little bit and give one or two a chance. It might not be on this occasion, so that's the kind of debate we have as staff.”

One option Pardew now has available is to play Massadio Haidara after he emerged for his first Premier League game since March unscathed.

Haidara came on as a second half substitute for Davide Santon on Wednesday and he was satisfied to have got an outing having worked his way back to fitness since Callum McManaman's knee high tackle on him at Wigan's DW Stadium.

The French full-back's only other outing since was a 45-minute run out in the Capital One Cup tie with Manchester City.

Haidara said: “It has been a very long time. I have not played in the Premier League since last March. It was a big pleasure to play again, because it has been so long.

“I had the chance. I came in to do the best I could for the team to achieve a result. Now I don’t know the view of the coach about how I played or if I play again, but I want to be involved and to give the team the maximum that I can.”

He is unlikely to start against Manchester United at Old Trafford. He does, though, think Newcastle can pile on the misery on David Moyes after the Red Devils' midweek defeat to Everton left them a point behind Pardew's men.

“We will need to be much better than we were at Swansea because they are one of the top teams in the League,” said Haidara.

“We will need to go there with great ambition. We lost at Swansea, but we can go back and get ready again for the game on Saturday.

“We thought we could got to Swansea and make it a fifth victory in a row, unfortunately it has not happened. But we will go to Manchester thinking about how we have played before this game.”