NEWCASTLE UNITED head coach John Carver has reminded his squad that there will be a summer clear out after he dismissed accusations they were playing with their ‘flip flops on’ at Everton last week.

Carver was unhappy with Phil Neville’s comments on Match of the Day 2 following their 3-0 defeat at Goodison Park, but the head coach has warned his players that they must impress in the final nine games of the campaign ahead of an uncertain summer on Tyneside.

The Magpies hierarchy will name Alan Pardew’s long-term successor during the close season and regardless of who takes over there is set to be significant changes to the playing staff.

Managing director Lee Charnley and chief scout Graham Carr have already begun the search for new recruits and Carver has been kept informed of developments.

The head coach revealed a meeting is scheduled to take place over the next couple of weeks when the Magpies will draw up a shortlist of preferred targets and plot their moves in the summer transfer window.

Sammy Ameobi, Jonas Gutierrez and Ryan Taylor are all out of contract this summer, while a number of other first-team members will be moved as part of a dressing room shake-up.

Having won only two of their last two of their last 11 games Newcastle have been accused of taking their foot off the gas, but Carver has warned anyone that might already be thinking about their summer holidays to think again.

“We all are (playing for our futures), absolutely and that’s why I was a bit astonished when people came out and talked about us being on the beach and wearing flip flops,” Carver said.

“How can players do that when they know that everybody is playing for their futures?

“They know there has to be a clear out, it's pretty obvious, to the man in the street to the professionals. It has to be done.

“There are people out of contract, there are people who are not good enough – they know that.

“I was a bit surprised because he (Phil Neville) has been a player. I understand it when it’s people that haven’t played but he’s been on the other side of the fence and that surprised me. I know how he would react if someone said that about him. It’s competitive out there now with Sky, BT, Match of the Day all battling for viewers.”

Carver goes into this afternoon’s match against Arsenal with a threadbare squad that has been decimated by injuries and suspensions.

He will be forced to name a makeshift back four against one of the Premier League’s in-form strikers in Olivier Giroud, while Arsene Wenger’s side have won their last five games.

“It's time for them to focus, they've got the FA Cup and the Premier League in their sights,” said Carver. “They're a point behind Manchester City and I wouldn't be surprised if they're looking at top spot because Chelsea have had a bit of a stutter at the moment so they will be extremely focused.

“They have world class players and will push the top two all the way. They're absolutely still in the title race.”

Carver has an entire starting line-up of senior players missing, including Fabricio Coloccini, Siem de Jong and Papiss Cisse.

He said: “I’ve never been in a position like this and I don’t think anybody I’ve ever worked with has ever had a situation like this.

“I remember a couple of seasons ago we went down to Norwich and we had to play Danny Simpson and James Perch as centre backs and they had the two big guys (Steve Morison and Grant Holt) up front who gave us a problem.

“That was harsh but not as harsh as this. Definitely not. I’m missing my best players and that’s how I look at it. With Cisse it’s like Tottenham being without Harry Kane. With de Jong, it’s like them being without Christian Eriksen and without Dummy and Haidara it’s like them being without Danny Rose.”