Newcastle United manager Alan Pardew has urged his side that they have to be stronger without Yohan Cabaye especially if he were to leave the club this month.
Cabaye has been linked with a move to Arsenal, who have already had a bid rejected for the midfielder.
Pardew told BBC Sport: "If it is a situation where he leaves the football club, we have got to be stronger.
"That's my aim when the window shuts. That little bit of guile that Cabaye gives us, we didn't have today, and that was probably the difference."
Newcastle have taken one point from their two Premier League games this season following their 0-0 draw with West Ham United on Saturday.
