John Carver: Strikers need to fill Papiss Cisse void

JOHN CARVER has challenged his strikers to fill the void left by the absence of Papiss Cisse.

Papiss Cisse is serving a seven-match ban for improper conductPA

Papiss Cisse is serving a seven-match ban for improper conduct

Newcastle's 11-goal top scorer starts a seven-game ban with Sunday's visit to Everton on an FA improper conduct charge after admitting to spitting at Manchester United's Jonny Evans during the Red Devils' 1-0 win at St James' Park, in an ugly clash for which the Northern Ireland international received a six-match suspension.

Cisse was due to be sidelined for up to a month due to an on-going knee problem, and while disappointed to be without one of the Premier League's most prolific marksmen in terms of his ratio of goals to minutes on the pitch, Newcastle's caretaker head coach insists opportunity knocks for the Senegal forward's replacement.

Ayoze Perez, the young Spaniard who is second on the club's goal charts this season with five, is expected to stand-in at Goodison Park, but Frenchman Manu Riviere, youngster Adam Armstrong and even midfielder Gabriel Obertan as a makeshift striker are all ready to take their chance should it arrive.

Carver said: "Papiss is down because of what's happened, but he came out and made a good statement, a proper statement and he's right to do that because there's no place in the game for what he did, even though he was provoked and retaliated.

"I think one or two players might have reacted differently and got less of a ban but he's accepted it, and the club's dealt with it in the right way.

"He was a loss to us when he wet to play in the African Cup of Nations earlier this season, and he's a loss now, as our main attacking threat.

"But this is a chance for others, and they've got to step up to the plate. 

John Carver wants Ayoze Perez to start scoring in Papiss Cisse's absenceGETTY

John Carver wants Ayoze Perez to start scoring in Papiss Cisse's absence

"We're putting a team out now that's creating chances, and giving people opportunities to score goals."

Riviere has struggled to make an impact since his £5m arrival last summer from Monaco. 

The French striker is yet to find the net in the Premier League, with his brace in the Capital One Cup win at Crystal Palace in September his only goals.

Carver added: "Manu just needs a goal to get him started, then he could go on a run. 

We're putting a team out now that's creating chances, and giving people opportunities to score goals

John Carver

"He never gives up and the fact he's working hard and getting chances, that's the important bit. 

"It's an opportunity for these guys to get a place in the team.

"Gabriel Obertan's an option to play up front with his pace and power, we've got other options as well."

French midfielder Remy Cabella returns to the squad after a three-game injury absence, as does back-up keeper Robbie Elliot, who has been out since before Christmas with a thigh problem.

Carver still has several injury concerns, and he added: "I don't like sitting here making excuses, but it's like emergency ward 10 at the training ground at the moment. I've never seen so many players on crutches.

"Cheick Tiote came in this morning for the first time since his surgery and all I could hear was the crutches coming down the corridor. 

"We've got a tough run of games and we've just got to deal wit it, we're not quite down to the bare bones but we're down to a small number of players."

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