Pardew waits to see the 'Keane effect'

Alex Ferguson will know by the end of the year whether he must dismantle an entire team in the wake of Roy Keane’s departure.

That is the considered verdict of West Ham manager Alan Pardew, whose side take on Manchester United at Upton Park tomorrow.

United came away from London with three points last week thanks to a comfortable 3-1 win at Charlton but a midweek stalemate with Villarreal in Manchester, which put their Champions League future in jeopardy, was a setback.

To many, Keane’s sudden departure marked the end of an era and Pardew was convinced that Ferguson was about to oversee another defining period in the Old Trafford club’s history.

He said: “I look at them as a young side and with Keane going he is in the process of remodelling another team.

“He has done that three or four times since he has been there so he is a master of it and I’m sure he is looking very closely now to see who is going to progress with him.

“The game against us and his next 10 games will tell him what the effects of Keane (leaving) will be and what he needs to do.”

Pardew, who has indicated he would welcome Keane arriving at Upton Park should he choose to remain in the Premiership, was nonetheless convinced the void left by the Irishman at Old Trafford would be filled one way or another.

He said: “Teams progress. I always say this to young managers, that if you take a comedian out of your squad somebody else evolves into the comedian.

“You take a leader out and somebody else takes on that mantle and that is what will happen with United. Whether they will do it as well as Roy Keane who knows, but someone will come to the fore.”

Ferguson is under pressure following the controversial takeover of the club by the Glazer family but Pardew was convinced the Scot would not be disappearing off the managerial radar just yet.

He said: “He has been the best manager in British football for 20 years and I see no reason why that can’t continue.”

Teenage midfielder Mark Noble is hoping to retain his place in the team after making his Premiership debut in the 1-1 draw at Tottenham last week.

The 18-year-old senses United are perhaps vulnerable but conceded that any side which boasted the likes of Wayne Rooney could not be underestimated.

He said: “Rooney has been their best player for the last five games but they are obviously going through a bit of a sticky patch with Roy Keane going and the results they have had lately, apart from Charlton.

“But strong players bounce back so we will see what happens when they come up against us.”