Newcastle United boss Alan Pardew is confident that he will not be sacked by owner Mike Ashley even if his side lose to Stoke City on Monday.
Pressure has been growing on the 53-year-old since the start of the season following his side's winless five-game run, which has left them rooted to the bottom of the Premier League.
Ashley reportedly said that Pardew would be removed from his position if the Magpies lost to the Potters, but has since denied the seriousness of those remarks, claiming that they were said as a joke.
Pardew told reporters: "I think Mike was trying to be supportive in his own kind of way. They are what they are and unfortunately we have had those sort of headlines for two or three weeks."
Pardew is the second longest-serving manager in the Premier League, having been in charge of Newcastle since December 2010.
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