Newcastle United manager Alan Pardew has backed Demba Ba to return to form following a recent goalscoring drought.

Ba has failed to find the net in his previous nine appearances but Pardew believes that the Magpies' top scorer's luck will soon change.

Pardew said: "The first goal at West Brom, Demba must have been a centimetre away from scoring, and when Cisse scored the second goal, he was actually fouled as he was going to score and it fell to Cisse, so he has been a little bit unlucky.

"But he is on penalties, he will be in and around the free kicks and he is working as hard as he has always worked.

"He is in great form, there's no lack of confidence. His goal will come and then this will all be forgotten."

Ba has scored 16 league goals in his debut season for the club.