Carver appearance fuels Pardew speculation

I was celebrating Christmas with some extended family today, so I had to rely on Twitter for updates of what ended up being a 3-2 win for Newcastle over Everton. At full time, I outed myself with a too-loud fistpump celebration, so I had to refrain from following any of the post-match interviews.

Most of the time, they're boring anyway. Today? A bit more interesting. Assistant Manager John Carver, who took over for Alan Pardew last year when he was suspended, fielded questions instead of the gaffer. (Sky Sports) It was an interesting choice, given recent speculation that Pardew could be returning to Crystal Palace following the recent departure of Neil Warnock. Some on social media have suggested that he wasn't feeling well, but all the club said was that he was "unavailable." (The Daily Mail)

Pardew is linked to Palace every time they have a vacancy, which is quite often. So why would he be interested this time around? He is under contract at Newcastle through 2020 (!), and all indications are that Mike Ashley would prefer not to be rid of him.

In any case, those are the reports, and we'll keep an eye on the proceedings, if there are any. What do you think? Is Alan Pardew on his way out?