Steve Bruce refused to accept that Newcastle had secured their Premier League status after a thrilling victory over Champions League hopefuls West Ham eased them nine points clear of trouble.
Newcastle strikers Callum Wilson and Allan Saint-Maximin are fit to face West Ham in the Premier League on Saturday after emerging unscathed on their returns from injury.
Downing Street has insisted Prime Minister Boris Johnson did not intervene in the Newcastle takeover saga amid reports he was asked to by Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman.
Newcastle owner Mike Ashley is eagerly awaiting developments amid reports Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman asked Prime Minister Boris Johnson to intervene in the proposed sale of the club.
With Sheffield United’s inevitable relegation edging closer by the game, the next question is which two clubs will follow them into the Sky Bet Championship?
What the papers say
Celtic striker Odsonne Edouard is being courted by both Arsenal and Leicester as well as some of Europe’s largest clubs, according to the Telegraph. The 23-year-old will have one year left on his contract in Glasgow at the end of Celtic’s current campaign and is favoured to go to the Foxes, whose boss Brendan Rodgers he played under at Parkhead.
Sean Dyche insisted he is not worried about Burnley’s run of results despite a 2-1 home defeat to Newcastle on Sunday that sucked them towards the battle at the bottom.
What the papers say
Edinson Cavani‘s potential departure from Old Trafford has been complicated by a £2million clause in the striker’s contract, according to the Mirror. Manchester United will have to pay the fee if they failed to trigger a one-year contract extension for the 34-year-old Uruguay international, who arrived in the north in October after leaving Paris St-Germain and has been linked with Boca Juniors.
Rachel Blackmore made history as the first female jockey to win the Grand National at Aintree on Saturday aboard Minella Times, while Hideki Matsuyama became the first male Japanese player to claim a major championship with victory at the Masters.
Manchester United heaped more misery on their former boss Jose Mourinho after striking back from behind to claim a 3-1 Premier League win at Tottenham.
Leeds provided a reminder that Manchester City are still fallible, Chelsea found full attacking fluency and West Ham showed they are here to stay in the top-four race.
Steve Bruce feels Newcastle can be a “different animal” with Allan Saint-Maximin in the side after the Frenchman inspired a vital 2-1 come-from-behind victory at Burnley on Sunday.
Allan Saint-Maximin came off the bench to inspire Newcastle to a vital 2-1 victory at Burnley that lifted them six points clear of the Premier League relegation zone.
Steve Bruce is hoping Callum Wilson, Allan Saint-Maximin and Miguel Almiron can fire Newcastle out of Premier League trouble as the fight for survival comes to a head.
Burnley boss Sean Dyche has backed Steve Bruce to “roll with the punches” ahead of attempting to heap more pressure on the under-fire Newcastle manager.
Newcastle striker Callum Wilson could return for Sunday’s crucial Premier League trip to Burnley as skipper Jamaal Lascelles faces up to a spell on the sidelines.
Newcastle owner Mike Ashley remains focused on selling the club to Amanda Staveley’s Saudi-backed consortium almost a year after the £300million-plus deal was struck.
Joe Willock is convinced Newcastle have enough to preserve their Premier League status as long as they fight as hard as they did to deny Tottenham victory.
Steve Bruce dismissed suggestions of a split in the Newcastle camp after seeing his side fight back to snatch a 2-2 Premier League draw with Tottenham.