NEWCASTLE UNITED have the leaders on the pitch to ensure early season frustrations do not linger around for the rest of the campaign, according to under-fire boss Alan Pardew.

The Magpies head into today’s visit of Leicester City with anything other than a victory labelling them the first Magpies team in the Premier League not to win any of their opening eight games.

With many still angling for the boss to resign, Pardew could do with his players turning on the style to earn a win – and he thinks he has the characters to deliver.

“I think I have those players in there, I think we have got good experience in the group,” said Pardew. “Tim [Krul], it's important that he's fit, will play; Fabricio Coloccini and Cheik Tiote, two of my vice-captains, will too. We are obviously missing Siem de Jong and, although he hasn't got great Premier League experience, of course at Ajax as captain, you do need that sort of leadership.

“But I think there's enough in the team to understand where we are at and what we need.”

Despite talking up the experience in his ranks, Pardew is also well aware of the importance of witnessing his more creative talents come to the fore against Leicester and beyond.

Gabriel Obertan, inconsistent since his arrival from Manchester United in August 2011, is one of those and he showed his potential with an effective return to the side at Swansea a fortnight ago.

Pardew said: “Gabby is a player that, on the training ground, you would pick every day. It is about transferring that to a matchday. And when he does, like he has done recently, then he is a real force.

“We need to keep that self-belief in him. When he has the self-belief, he is getting older now, he is getting to that point where he has to deliver week in, week out. So for Gabby, it is a big period for him.”

But what does Obertan’s re-emergence mean for £7m summer buy Remy Cabella, who was left out at Swansea? Pardew said: “It’s like anything - when you are not winning games, everything gets blown a little bit up.

“You need to gain your confidence and without a win it has been difficult for those guys. But I do hope that whether it is Saturday or in the next two or three, that they deliver for us.”