Newcastle take on Blackburn in the Carling Cup on Wednesday. Going on form it should be a routine victory for the Magpies who are unbeaten, but manager Alan Pardew has refused to rule out making changes to his squad.

Despite naming the same squad on five consecutive occasions, Newcastle boss, Alan Pardew, has refused to reveal who will play in their upcoming Carling Cup clash at Blackburn.

“I am not going to give any kind of indication what my team will be at all. Why? Because I don’t want to,” he said.

With his attentions surely focussed on the league, Pardew has an opportunity to rest his favourite XI, and play the likes of Hatem Ben Arfa, Sylvain Marveaux, and Davide Santon, players who have been starting on the bench. The Carling Cup betting suggests these players should still do well.

Newcastle are fourth in the league with five wins and four draws. The team have dispatched Wolves, Sunderland, Fulham, and Wigan in the league, but their 3-1 rout of an undisciplined Blackburn in September stands as one of the highest-scoring games of their 2011/2012 campaign and is perhaps a sign of things to come on Wednesday. People following the FA Cup betting may fancy the side to land a trophy this season.

Blackburn on the other hand are in the relegation zone as tensions mount between fans and manager Steve Kean. Fans held a sit in at Ewood Park yesterday after the Rovers slumped to their sixth loss in nine, against Tottenham.

During his time in charge Kean has presided over just six victories in thirty games, a truly miserable tally for a Premier League side. Supporters are demanding a change in management to avoid relegation and it seems likely they could struggle in the cup as well.

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