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Newcastle United have received a big blow before their game away at Leicester City in the Premier League on Friday night.

The Lowdown: Newcastle are not safe yet

The St. James’ Park faithful may feel as if they are safe in the Premier League for one more season, but it is still mathematically possible for them to drop into the relegation zone at the end of the 2020/21 term.

Both West Brom and Fulham can still catch them with four games left to play, and it does not get any easier for the North East club as they play Manchester City after the Foxes.

The Latest: Schar red card stands

As per the official website of the Tyneside club, the red card that was given to Fabian Schar against Arsenal in their 2-0 home loss last time out in the top flight still stands after an appeal, in what will come as a huge blow to Steve Bruce.

The Verdict: Schar loss a big blow

The loss of Schar not just for the match against Brendan Rodgers’ side, but for the next three fixtures in total will be a big blow to the Magpies as they look to clinch one more win to guarantee their safety.

The Switzerland international ranks high among his teammates for both clearances (2.9) and blocks (0.7) so far in the division this season (Whoscored), showing he is a leader at the back for them.

A character like his would have been useful in the run-in, but the Toon will have to try and find a way to cope without him, while Jamaal Lascelles also remains out through injury.

In other news, find out what enticing transfer claim has been dropped by one Magpie here!

Leeds United hero Kalvin Phillips is still a long way from signing a new contract with the Whites, according to journalist Dean Jones.

The Lowdown: Phillips’ future up in the air

The 25-year-old has arguably been the key player of the Marcelo Bielsa era, performing consistently in Leeds’ midfield and making 222 appearances for the club.

The hope is that Phillips agrees a new deal at Elland Road in the near future, amid reports linking him with moves to some of the country’s biggest teams – Leeds are said to value him at around £60m.

The midfielder’s current contract expires in the summer of 2024, so the Whites are at least not at risk of losing him on the cheap any time soon, but his crowning as England’s 2021 Player of the Year and Premier League form are sure to draw more and more interest as that deals ticks down.

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The Latest: Journalist gives worrying update

Jones has provided an important update on Phillips’ future, telling Give Me Sport that he and the club are still a distance apart when it comes to agreeing terms on a new deal:

“He loves Leeds, there’s no doubt about that. He has definitely enjoyed the platform they’ve given him to go on and become an England player.

“But, at the moment, from what I understand, they are quite a long way from finding common ground over his salary.”

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The Verdict: Coming to the end?

In an ideal world, Phillips would extend his stay at Elland Road and spend the rest of his career at the club, but football rarely works like that.

The England international clearly loves Leeds and will always have a special place in his heart for them, but it is only natural that he could be tempted for a fresh challenge.

With Bielsa’s men languishing in the bottom half of the Premier League, the idea of one of the heavyweights coming in for him could be too great a challenge to turn down.

That lure of Champions League football is great for most players and Phillips may want to test himself against the very best in the peak years of his career – former player David Norris said this week Phillips will be looking for ‘bigger and better things’ (MOT Leeds News).

In other news, Joe Donnohue has provided an update on Leeds’ potential January transfer business. Read more here.

Aston Villa goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez has been included in FIFA 22’s latest Team of the Week following his displays for Argentina during the international break.

Villa shared the news on Twitter, and, as to be expected, many Villa fans were quick to praise the shot-stopper as a result.

Martinez, who has featured in all but one of Villa’s Premier League games this season, earned his 13th and 14th caps for his country, helping them qualify for the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.

The 29-year-old didn’t concede a goal in a win over Uruguay and a stalemate with Brazil and has been included in EA Sports’ Team of the Week alongside the likes of Harry Kane and Kylian Mbappe.

Martinez’s new in-form card is rated at 86, two higher than his base card which was released at the beginning of the series.

Villa fans react

This is what these Villa fans had to say in reply to Martinez’s card, with one saying his son will be ‘buzzing’ at the update, while another labelled the fan favourite as a ‘phenomenon’.

“You just love to see it”

Credit: @branvilladon

“The bloke is a phenomenon”

Credit: @markwalker1985

“YES!!! Give me him red”

Credit: @AlexLeeXXI

“Oh that’s filthy”

Credit: @ajbyrne_avfc

“My son will be buzzing”

Credit: @designs_HR

“Absolutely gorgeous”

Credit: @ChukwuemekaSZN

“WWWWW”

Credit: @AVFCJJC

In other news: Lots of Aston Villa fans flock to Leon Bailey injury news. 

Many Sheffield Wednesday fans were critical of Florian Kamberi’s performance in their 0-0 draw at Portsmouth in League One on Tuesday night.

The Owls perhaps would have settled for a point in the end as Massimo Luongo was given a straight red card for violent conduct in the 69th minute, meaning that they had to hold out for more than 20 minutes with 10 men on the field.

However, when a team goes down a player, they really need the help of the forwards to hold the ball up and bring others into play whenever they can attack.

Alas, Kamberi struggled while Wednesday had 11 men, let alone 10, as he lost out on all seven of his duels and also failed to record a single shot on goal or dribble. In addition, he was guilty of losing possession of the ball seven times in total during the game (SofaScore).

Sheff Wed fans on Kamberi display

These Owls fans slammed his performance on Twitter, with one supporter even going as far as to claim that he is a ‘poor man’s Stevie May’, referring to the Scottish striker who only managed seven goals in his 42-match Wednesday career:

“Kamberi not offering much at all!”

Credit: @ABKTowl

“Kamberi, poor man’s Stevie May”

Credit: @Elliott51084

“Kamberi & Gregory just can’t play together. Running the same lines, banging into each other. It’s embarrassing.”

Credit: @bensaavage

“Kamberi totally oblivious. Hook him.”

Credit: @mrpaulhank

“Kamberi ain’t good enough”

Credit: @LockStar9

“Just like to say, I don’t think I have ever seen anyone slip over on a football pitch as much as Kamberi. Reckon he might need bigger studs or something.”

Credit: @ReeceDaviesSWFC

In other news, one man’s display against Hartlepool was slammed by these Sheff Wed fans

It was only a few months ago that fears of relegation were starting to appear at Wolves. They had just lost to West Brom and even club captain Conor Coady was being substituted.

It was a strange time for the Midlands outfit but they have improved significantly. Since that defeat to the Baggies in January, they have only lost three of their last eight Premier League outings.

They didn’t taste defeat during February, a month which has been recognised by those at the top. Nuno Espirito Santo has been nominated for the Manager of the Month award while Ruben Neves is in the frame to win Player of the Month.

It has been an outstanding turnaround, even if they were battered and bruised in a 4-1 defeat to Manchester City last Tuesday.

Wolves now face another tough encounter in the form of Aston Villa, a Midlands derby. With their loss to City still fresh in the mind, we’re tipping Nuno to make three changes to his side on Saturday evening.

The first change to note is up front, where Willian Jose comes back into the team. He was among the substitutes at the Etihad Stadium, with Adama Traore preferred to lead the line.

That experiment didn’t work, however, with Coady scoring the Old Gold’s only goal of the game. As a result, he shifts back to his usual position on the wing, with Nelson Semedo reverting to wing-back.

Consequently, Ki-Jana Hoever is dropped from the starting XI after his inept display. He was given a torrid evening by Raheem Sterling and Joao Cancelo.

There are two other changes in defence, where Willy Boly makes his comeback from injury. The Frenchman was on the bench in midweek so should be fit enough to start now.

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He replaces Leander Dendoncker, who scored an own goal against City. The final change is at left wing-back, where Jonny is replaced by Rayan Ait-Nouri.

The Spaniard has struggled to complete 90 minutes since returning from his lengthy absence with a knee problem. After being tormented by Riyad Mahrez a few days ago, he is given a chance to catch his breath.

The £75,000-per-week earner is usually so important from a defensive point of view but still needs a longer period to get up to speed.

AND in other news, Bye-bye Kilman: Shi could replace Wolves talent with swoop for £20m “special player”…

In an exclusive interview with Football FanCast, Steve Howey, who played for Newcastle United for 11 years, believes Steve Bruce did nothing wrong after his public criticism of a number of Newcastle players after their draw against Wolverhampton Wanderers earlier this month.

Bruce came out and picked fault with a number of players including Martin Dubravka in what was the latter’s first Premier League game for a number of months.

However, Howey believes Bruce did nothing wrong and was just telling the truth of what happened to the media. The former defender does believe players are sensitive these days, however, so it could have been kept behind closed doors.

It was straight after a game in which Newcastle had played well for the majority, but still came away from the game holding onto a point after Dubravka saved from Fabio Silva in added time.

Howey explained exclusively to FFC how Bruce did nothing wrong and actually just talked through what happened during the game.

“What did the manager actually say wrong? He gave Ritchie instructions to pass on and did he do it? No.

“Was he criticising the goalkeeper? Would the goalkeeper look at that goal and think he could have done better? Yeah.

“Was he having a go at Lascelles for general defending on certain things? Yeah. Joelinton, can he give you more? Yeah. Is he wrong? No, I don’t think so.

“Players are very sensitive, shall we say? They will at times, well all the time, like that to be kept behind closed doors.”

Bruce may have hoped for a positive reaction off the back of that. He did get a reaction but it was a negative one with his team going to West Bromwich Albion and having to settle with a 0-0 draw.

The players will need a lot of fight if they are to avoid relegation and Bruce will be hoping his squad will want to prove his public criticism wrong.

Steve Bruce’s West Bromwich Albion side will be looking to bounce back in today’s game against Coventry City, following what was an embarrassing 4-0 defeat last time out against Nottingham Forest.

Despite a late surge into the play-off places looking admittedly slim, Bruce will no doubt be vying for three wins from three games, even if it is just to build momentum for next season.

So too will Mark Robins and Coventry City, who stand a better chance of sealing a spot in the top six as they sit two points better off than the Baggies, with the same number of games played.

Realistically, promotion for both sides is unlikely this season, although a West Brom win today would see Bruce’s side leapfrog the Sky Blues into 11th place.

In terms of injuries, it was reported yesterday that Alex Mowatt has undergone surgery to address the groin injury sustained against Nottingham Forest last Monday, which of course rules him out for the season.

£7m January signing Daryl Dike could feature before the end of the season, though it is unlikely, with the USA international’s main priority getting fit for next season.

In regards to suspensions, the Baggies will be without Darnell Furlong who was dubbed “stupid” by Josh Holland for the first yellow card leading to his sending off.

With the latest news shared, here is how Football FanCast expects West Bromwich Albion to line up against Mark Robins’ Coventry City side.

West Brom XI: Button (GK), Clarke (LCB), Bartley (CB), O’Shea (RCB), Gardner-Hickman (RM), Reach (RCM), Livermore (DM), Molumby (LCM), Townsend (LM), Carroll (ST), Grant (ST)

We expect the side to set up in a 3-5-2.

Our prediction sees two changes compared to the squad put out against Nottingham Forest, with 20-year-old gem Taylor Gardner-Hickman – dubbed “fearless” by his former manager Valerien Ismael – expected to come in for the suspended Darnell Furlong out wide and the 22-year-old Jayson Molumby – who Brian Kerr said “leaves a man for dead” – set to replace the injured Alex Mowatt in central midfield.

Molumby has failed to assert himself as a Baggies regular this season, starting just 36% of their 43 games in the Championship.

Before heading back to parent club Brighton, the Ireland international will be hoping to end the season strong and with Alex Mowatt’s injury, should be given the run of games to do so.

Elsewhere, it’s the same squad that endured defeat last time out, with the likes of Andy Carroll looking to earn a contract extension in a line-up that sees him partner Baggies top scorer Karlan Grant.

AND in other news: Huge blow: West Brom dealt big injury setback ahead of Coventry, Bruce will be gutted

The Athletic’s Wolverhampton Wanderers reporter, Tim Spiers, recently dropped a hint concerning Patrick Cutrone’s Wolves return, via Twitter.

This comes after the journalist posted another tweet explaining that alleged transfer targets Christian Eriksen and Diego Costa are unlikely to join the West Midlands club due to their wages.

Recalling Cutrone

In response to that original tweet, one Wolves fan asked Spiers why the club doesn’t recall centre-forward Cutrone from his loan at Serie A side Fiorentina if they are unwilling to splash out on a new signing in January, with fellow Old Gold centre-forward Raul Jimenez out of action due to a fractured skull at present.

This comes after Cutrone moved to Fiorentina from Molineux on loan a year ago and is currently scheduled to return from that loan spell in the summer.

However, with Cutrone having failed to set the world alight at Fiorentina after not even scoring a single goal for the club so far this term, the journalist replied to that Wolves fan’s tweet to reveal that the West Midlands club “probably will” recall the 23-year-old from his loan prematurely.

What does that mean for Cutrone’s Wolves future?

So, while Spiers indicated that the Italian may not be at Fiorentina for much longer, this doesn’t mean that he will be part of Nuno Espirito Santo’s squad for the second half of the 2020/21 campaign, as the journalist explained that it may be more likely that we’ll see the £10.8m-rated forward get sent out on another loan elsewhere.

However, with 18-year-old Fabio Silva the Old Gold’s only fit, recognised centre-forward at present, per Transfermarkt, surely the West Midlands club will have to consider keeping Cutrone at Molineux if they do intend to cut his loan spell short, rather than sending him out on another loan when they’re already short for numbers in his position and it will be interesting to see how the club does proceed with Cutrone from this point.

In other news, some Wolves fans are buzzing to see their club linked with a move for Christian Eriksen.

Former Premier League midfielder Keith Gillespie has exclusively told The Transfer Tavern that a strong pre-season could see Harvey Elliott become a regular at Liverpool next season.

Elliott signed for the Reds as a 16-year-old from Fulham, and already showcased his talent in both the FA Cup and Carabao Cup.

But with the teenager in desperate need of regular first-team action, he joined Blackburn on loan for the season, and has lit up the Championship with several standout moments.

Elliott’s form has tailed off in recent months, he’s still managed six goals and 11 assists, a record bettered only by Norwich’s Emiliano Buendia, in 40 league outings.

His impressive performances led to him being nominated for EA Sports Young Player of the Season at the 2021 EFL Awards, although he was pipped by Reading’s Michael Olise.

But Gillespie believes that if Elliott catches Jurgen Klopp’s eye upon his return to Anfield this summer, he might suddenly find himself in the first-team picture.

He told The Transfer Tavern:

“It will all depend on what Liverpool want. If Liverpool are happy with the environment he’s in and feel like he needs another year – why not be at Blackburn?

“I think they’ve got big plans for him at Liverpool. He could come back to the club in pre-season and play out of his skin and suddenly find himself in that side week in, week out.”

Newcastle manager Steve Bruce has said that Allan Saint-Maximin was ‘right’ to express his frustration with the club’s status as relegation candidates.

The lowdown

Saint-Maximin said prior to Newcastle’s 4-2 win over Leicester City that Newcastle ‘should not have to fight’ simply to survive. He intriguingly added that ‘for my future, I know I need to play and play good football’.

Newcastle have since secured their top-flight status, with Fulham becoming the third and final team to be relegated after their home defeat against Burnley on Monday night.

Saint-Maximin was instrumental in a run of eight points from four games in April which may just have saved the Magpies’ season.

The Frenchman scored one goal and set up another off the bench as Newcastle came from behind to beat Burnley last month. He then inspired the Magpies to a 3-2 victory over West Ham United the following week.

Saint-Maximin has scored three goals and provided four assists across 23 appearances in all competitions this season.

The latest

Bruce insisted that he shared Saint-Maximin’s misgivings and he was also keen to rebuff any interest in the 24-year-old, whose contract still has more than five years to run.

“He is right,” the manager told talkSPORT on Monday. “Nobody wants Newcastle to be in a relegation fight.

“He is a very gifted individual and young, of course. The last thing we want to be doing is selling our best players, that is for sure.”

The verdict

Saint-Maximin knows that he’s too good to be scrapping for the lower reaches of mid-table, but Newcastle have shown signs in recent weeks that, if they keep their big players fit and bolster their line-up in the summer, they can very much look upwards rather than over their shoulders next season.

The £25.2m-rated attacker may inevitably move on one day, but he could equally be a ready-made superstar for Newcastle’s prospective new owners to build their team around if they can persuade him to stay put at St James’ Park.

In other news, Liam Kennedy has dropped an intriguing insight on the takeover arbitration process.