Alan Pardew: "Some are playing for their futures, yes, I think some are.
"Others not so, but I am still looking for a level of performance and consistency that will maybe get them into a World Cup squad and make sure they are a regular next season at this football club."
"I would like to really get that out of the way on Sunday and hopefully we can. I wouldn't say we are very comfortable, but we are comfortable."
Pardew and his players were far from comfortable by the end of their last 90 minutes at St James', when they left the pitch to a chorus of boos from what remained of the crowd after a 4-0 humiliation at the hands of Tottenham.
The message was strong this week from the manager: "I am going nowhere", although a whole host of players are unhappy.
The likes of Hatem Ben Arfa, Sylvain Marveaux, Gabriel Obertan and loan signings Luuk de Jong and Roic Remy will not be at the club next season.