Newcastle United manager Alan Pardew defended his decision to replace goalscorer Yohan Cabaye against Reading on Saturday and lamented the tide of negativity that swept around St James’ Park and spread to his players after the substitution.

Frenchman Cabaye, making his first start after a two-month injury lay-off, put Newcastle ahead in the 35th minute with a superb free-kick and the home side looked on track to grab three crucial points in the battle to avoid relegation.

However, Newcastle lost their way in the second half and two goals from substitute Adam Le Fondre gave Reading a 2-1 win, their first ever victory at St James’ Park.

Pardew, whose side have won just three times in 18 games since he signed an eight-year deal in September, acknowledged the boos that rained down after the Cabaye substitution but said he had no option but to replace him.

“The substitutions that were made were greeted with jeers and I have to accept that,” he told the club’s website after a defeat that left Newcastle just two points from the drop zone.

“One of them, Yohan, I had no choice with because he had an injury, which was something that we were worried about but fortunately it doesn’t look too bad.”

Cabaye was taken off in the 74th minute with the scores tied at 1-1. Three minutes later Reading were ahead and Newcastle fans vented their frustration from the stands.

Pardew said Cabaye had indicated he needed to be taken off.

“He told me about five minutes before he came off that he was injured,” he told the BBC.

“Of course the players and the fans don’t want to see a great player go off the pitch. It made it difficult for me because that negativity spread around the stadium and to the players. And that’s what happens when you’re down the ­bottom.

“It was a negative stadium in the second half, there were a lot of boos and the players were trying to do their best.”