Alan Pardew has thrown down the gauntlet to Hatem Ben Arfa and wants him to fight for a regular starting berth at Newcastle United.
The Magpies boss has often preferred Yoan Gouffran and Moussa Sissoko to Ben Arfa in attack this season, with the 26-year-old starting just nine of the club's 19 Premier League fixtures this season.
However, Pardew has encouraged the Frenchman to rise to the challenge of displacing one of his compatriots ahead of the second half of the campaign.
He told The Express: "First, he has to get in front of Gouffran and Sissoko and that isn't going to be easy because they have been brilliant.
"He is an exciting player and we have always had a history of that here, but at the moment, he is trying to get a team place and he's fighting two very good players to get there."
United, who sit eighth in the Premier League table, travel to the West Midlands for a clash with West Bromwich Albion today.
Shane Callaghan
