Swansea’s Graham out to show Newcastle what they are missing

Although Newcastle have done little wrong in terms of signing strikers in the past 12 months, Alan Pardew may be a little annoyed if Danny Graham proves the difference against them for Swansea in the next round of Premier League fixtures.

Graham interested numerous parties in the summer after starring in the Championship for Watford in the last campaign, top scoring in the division with 24 goals.

However, it was Swansea that took the risk that the striker could be as deadly in the Premier League and have been rewarded for their £3.5m outlay with ten top-flight goals.

Graham is currently on a barren spell of six top-flight games without a goal, but it would be ironic should he end this run against the other club that were considering a summer offer for his services.

Pardew has indicated that he was told by then-Watford manager Malky Mackay of Graham’s talents and potential, but in the end declined to offer having failed to complete enough of their own scouting.

Newcastle would have also probably been in the driving seat as they could have offered Graham a move closer to home, having been born in Gateshead and previously played for Middlesbrough.

The decision has not impacted Newcastle too badly as Demba Ba and Papiss Demba Cisse have fired them to the outskirts of the Champions League places, but Graham could all but end their chances if firing Swansea to victory.

It is 7/1 that Graham opens the scoring at the Liberty Stadium and seven of his league goals this season have come at home.

Alternatively, he is 9/4 to strike at any point in the 90 minutes or 33/1 to really rub salt into the wound with a hat-trick, which would be his first since Carlisle beat Yeovil 4-1 in the early stages of the 2008/09 League One season.