Mauricio Pochettino is not expecting Alan Pardew’s return to the stands to have much effect on Newcastle tomorrow.

The former Saints manager is no longer banned from attending his team’s games following the FA punishment for his headbutt on Hull’s David Meyler.

Though Pardew still cannot be on the touchline at St Mary’s tomorrow, he is allowed to watch from the directors’ box.

However, Pochettino doubts it will have much effect either way. “I don’t think it will have a positive or negative effect,” he reflected.

“In these past few games we have seen a Newcastle side that has won games and lost games.

“What will happen in this game will happen with or without Pardew in the dressing room.”

He added: “There are different managers and they handle it in a different way.

“Different managers handle that situation a different way.

“During the week the work the manager does on the training ground is a lot more important.

“It’s also true during the 90 minutes of every single game there’s decisions that need to be made, changes that need to be made as well, and the manager needs to be present to make those changes.

“From my own point of view I always prefer to be on the touchline because you get to experience and manage the game in a much more direct way.”

Pochettino is aiming for his side to bounce back from their defeat at Tottenham in a game that is against Saints’ direct rivals for eighth place.

“It’s clear that right after the Tottenham game we were disappointed. We were 2-0 up and that’s not an easy thing to do,” he said.

“We were quite sad to see that game go away from us. We gave away that game more than Tottenham won that game.

“The mood during this week has improved amongst the squad.

“There are individual questions that we’ve looked at.

“The training sessions have gone well during the week so we are arriving with high spirits to this game and we are looking for the three points.”

Of Newcastle, he commented: “We are expecting quite a physical side, a very strong side, a very tough side.

“Especially after beating defeated at their own ground at Everton they will want to put that right so overall we know we are going to be facing quite a physical opponent.”

Pardew should have left-back Davide Santon available after a bout of tonsillitis, but his selection problems show few signs of abating with keeper Tim Krul the latest to join the casualty list.

The Holland international damaged a knee during Tuesday’s 3-0 home defeat by Everton and could miss the next three games, with Republic of Ireland squad member Rob Elliot set to deputise.