Here are the Newcastle United evening headlines on Thursday, December 29.
Darwin Nunez told to follow Miguel Almiron's Newcastle example amid criticism of Liverpool striker
Miguel Almiron's revival at Newcastle United should provide a template for Darwin Nunez to follow amid criticism of the summer signing's mixed start to life at Liverpool. That is the view of John Barnes, who believes the backing of fans and team-mates has led to the Paraguay international's emergence as the Magpies' top scorer this term.
Almiron netted his ninth Premier League goal of the season in the Boxing Day victory at Leicester City, having previously taken 110 appearances to register his last nine goals. The former MLS star was among Eddie Howe's squad options tipped with a potential summer exit, but the 28-year-old has since established himself as a key player.
Nunez has already scored nine times for Liverpool since his blockbuster summer arrival from Benfica. However, the Uruguay international has regularly faced criticism for his profligate finishing as Jurgen Klopp's side have so far struggled by their own lofty standards in the Premier League.
Newcastle dealt added Mykhailo Mudryk blow days after star dropped Arsenal transfer hint
Newcastle United are hoping stop Arsenal in their quest to win the Premier League title but look powerless when it comes to denying the Gunners from signing transfer target Mykhailo Mudryk. Both English clubs have been heavily linked with the Shakhtar Donetsk forward, 21, in recent months after his breakout year in his native country.
Mudryk has caught the eye of many top teams around Europe after performances both at home and in the Champions League, with Arsenal currently leading the chase as they look to strengthen their squad next month. Speaking on Wednesday, Shakhtar chief Sergei Palkin confirmed Mikel Arteta's side were already in talks over a January move.
"Negotiations are continuing. We receive offers, but they are not the ones we would like to see on our table," Palkin told the club's official website. "Now, literally in 5 minutes, I will have a phone conversation with Arsenal.
Kieran Trippier's tactical insight Newcastle fans will love and why he snubbed Howe's holiday offer
Newcastle United star Kieran Trippier has warned Premier League rivals that the days of parking the bus are long gone on Tyneside.
From 2017 onwards, the narrative for the season was to reach 40 points and stave off the threat of relegation by deploying ultra defensive tactics. But Trippier's arrival at the club back in January resulted in a five-man defence being ditched and the flying full-back becoming one of the key men when encouraging attacking football.
Newcastle served a reminder of such tactics by sweeping Leicester aside after storming into a 3-0 lead after just 32 minutes to win the game.
Selfless reaction hints at what Newcastle transfer targets have to do if they get dream move
Eddie Howe was standing at the top of the meeting room as the Newcastle United head coach outlined his 'non-negotiables' and called on those around him to put the interests of the team before their own. It was one of Howe's first team meetings at the club and it set the tone for what was to come.
Just as Ciaran Clark, Federico Fernandez and Dwight Gayle helped to maintain standards around the training ground, even when they were not in the side, another group of younger players have followed suit since the trio left the club. Take Matt Targett, for example, who started the season as first-choice left-back after his loan move from Aston Villa was made permanent in the summer.
Targett has not started a Premier League game since September but, rather than sulk, the defender has continued to push his team-mates in training and support them on a match day - even if he would love to be playing himself. Indeed, it did not go unnoticed how Targett not only shared the team photograph taken in the dressing room minutes after the Boxing Day win at Leicester City on his Instagram Stories; the defender also added the following caption: 'Love it lads!'
Leeds United fume at having less rest than Newcastle but Jesse Marsch shows a 'lot of respect'
Jesse Marsch has admitted that facing 'intense' Newcastle United on New Year's Eve is 'not the best situation' for his Leeds United side because the visitors will have had less rest.
Newcastle welcome Leeds to St James' Park on Saturday as the Magpies bid to build on an impressive 3-0 win at Leicester City on Boxing Day. It is a huge game for both sides; third-placed Newcastle can keep the pressure on champions Man City and league leaders Arsenal with a seventh successive top-flight win while Leeds are just two points above the relegation zone following a 3-1 defeat against Man City on Wednesday night.
Leeds will have two days less than Newcastle to prepare for the game after the Whites' clash against City kicked off 53 hours after Newcastle's match at Leicester got under way. Marsch's focus, as a result, will be on getting players like Jack Harrison and Crysencio Summerville closer to being match ready after the pair were not risked from the bench on Wednesday night.
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