Carver's no Pardew carbon copy

The 50-year-old's appointment until the end of the season has disappointed some fans who hoped for a big name capable of ensuring the Magpies finished the season on a high.

But Carver is adamant he is capable of steering the club into the top 10 and extended his head coach contract into the bargain - and that fans will soon notice a significant difference.

Carver said: "What you have to remember is that Alan and myself were really close, but I do have one or two different ideas. That will take a little bit of time to come to fruition.

'The players are starting to see that now, but whether the fans are I'm not sure yet. I guarantee they will see little differences over the next few weeks."

Carver takes his side to Hull for Saturday's lunchtime kick-off conscious that he is yet to get a win on the board since taking over initially on a caretaker basis on New Year's Day.

But he is likely to have top scorer Papiss Cisse available after Senegal's earlier-than-expected elimination from the African Nations Cup.

Cisse was heading back to the north-east via charter flights on Friday and barring delays Carver was expecting to be in a position to name him in his squad for the KC Stadium clash.

"He is hugely important," acknowledged Carver. "We were 2-0 down against Hull earlier this season and he came on and got the two goals.

"He's our top goalscorer and the only way you are going to win football matches is having your top goalscorer around."

Carver may also be able to call on Gabriel Obertan and Mehdi Abeid who have recovered from thigh and toe injuries respectively, although the game is likely to come too early for Dutchman Siem De Jong.

Carver has conceded he has next to no role in comings and goings at the club but is confident there will be no significant departures in the current transfer window - chiefly that of France international midfielder Moussa Sissoko.

Sissoko, who earlier this month described Arsenal as "the club of my heart", admitted in a French magazine interview this week that he would be tempted by any approach from Paris St Germain.

Carver said: "I am telling you that he (Sissoko) is going nowhere - unless someone comes in with a ridiculous amount of money.

"He is focused and he has got his mind on the job. He has been absolutely first class.

"It annoys me when you see a player who has been tapped up by somebody else and he doesn't train or perform properly. That is what annoys me and he's certainly not doing that."