Newcastle United boss, Alan Pardew, was a relieved man on Sunday, as his side secured Barclays Premier League status for next season, beating Queens Park Rangers 2-1 at Loftus Road. However, what caught the attention of the media was the post-match press conference, where Pardew admitted he would not care even if Arsenal happen to beat the Magpies in the final round of fixtures next week.

Arsenal are fighting to secure UEFA Champions League qualification and have two games remaining in the league. The first of which is on Tuesday, where they face Wigan Athletic, who are themselves at 18th position in the league. The last game of the season for the Gunners is against Newcastle, who could lay back at home after securing safety.

The comment made by Pardew did not go down well with Tottenham supporters for obvious reasons, and they are angered as an Arsenal win at St. James Park could be the reason for Spurs losing out on the Champions League.

According to the Metro, Pardew said, “I’m very pleased. It was a very important game for this football club.”

“I thought the first ten minutes we were almost playing with a noose around our neck we were so tense and tight.

“I don’t really care if Arsenal win 4-0 [next weekend], if I’m honest. I’m sure Spurs will, but I only care that our fans enjoy themselves.”

Pardew has been under tremendous pressure from the Newcastle supporters, after an impressive run in the UEFA Europa League saw their side reach the quarter-finals of the competition. They eventually lost out to the current finalists Benfica, but the strain of traveling and the intensity of the competition took its toll on the Newcastle players, as injuries began piling up, along with signs of tiredness.

Newcastle owner Mike Ashley awarded Pardew with an 8-year deal at the start of the season, signifying the support from board and gave him a big transfer budget which he used in the January window to bring players to Newcastle in an attempt to rescue their season. However, results like their worst home loss in history, in a 0-6 drubbing in the hands of Liverpool, and a 0-3 loss to Sunderland led to fans losing their patience with the former Crystal Palace manager.

As the race for the fourth and final Champions League spot reaches its climax, Arsenal will be looking to win both their remaining fixtures, while Wigan will be thinking otherwise.