Newcastle United boss Alan Pardew has taken a swipe at PSG midfielder Yohan Cabaye ahead of today's opener with Manchester City.
This time last year United were in disarray with controversial transfer chief Joe Kinnear failing to make a permanent signing, and Cabaye on strike after he failed to get a move to Arsenal.
Pardew said on that City clash: "At the time, we were in dispute with our midfield player."
Indeed, Cabaye did not play in the opener at Man City when United were hammered 4-0, the French international refusing to play.
Pardew told the Evening Chronicle: "When we got off that bus, was he going to play or was he not going to play?
"The difference now is we're much more settled.
"The disruption of that unsettled us, and we lost a player (Steven Taylor, who was sent off) in the first half, which is maybe a consequence of the frustration we were all sharing."
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