A look at your Newcastle United evening headlines on Sunday, 20 March.
Pundit makes 'worried' Chris Wood claim as Callum Wilson nears injury return
Former Leeds United defender Danny Mills believes Chris Wood will be "worried" about losing his place in the team with Callum Wilson nearing a return from injury. The New Zealand international was brought in during the January transfer window to try and plug the goal scoring gap left by Wilson's injury.
Wood penned a two-and-a-half year deal with the Magpies for a reported fee of £25million, a transfer that left many fans scratching their heads given his struggles in front of goals for Burnley this season. However, Wood has given Newcastle a completely different focal point of attack and has played an integral part in their superb nine game unbeaten streak.
The Kiwi opened his Newcastle account in the 2-1 win over Southampton, a result that was made all the more sweet given Ralph Hassenhuttl's comments over the fixture rearrangement. Sure, Wood will not be content with his goalscoring return, but Mills has a bold view of the forward.
The attribute Carlo Ancelotti claims Everton’s Ben Godfrey possesses that would drastically improve Newcastle United
Former Everton boss Carlo Ancelotti once raved about Newcastle target Ben Godfrey’s impressive speed following his debut season on Merseyside.
Reports in the Mirror claim Eddie Howe is keen on bringing the 24-year-old - who started for the Toffees in their 1-0 win against the Magpies - to Tyneside this summer. Newcastle are expected to splash the cash once survival is secured and defence is an area they will be looking to bolster again.
January arrivals Kieran Trippier, Matt Targett and Dan Burn have greatly improved a Toon backline that looked beyond repair earlier in the campaign. Newcastle have not conceded more than one goal in any fixture since December but centre-back remains a top priority after the failed pursuit of Diego Carlos and Sven Botman.
Statement released after Leeds investigation into Newcastle fans' Elland Road crush fears
Newcastle United Supporters' Trust has released a statement praising Leeds United for their investigation into crowd safety after travelling fans raised crush fears in their recent encounter at Elland Road. Members of the travelling Toon Army shared some of their 'worst experiences' ever following the club on the road with mass congestion at the turnstiles ahead of the match on January 22.
Eddie Howe's side secured a vital 1-0 victory against their relegation rivals on the day, with a late Jonjo Shelvey free-kick settling the contest. Traffic had led to many Newcastle fans arriving later than planned, and issues over the operation of turnstiles and the queuing system led to significant delays.
Leeds confirmed an investigation had been launched in the following days, with West Yorkshire Police and the Football Supporters’ Association also involved in reviewing the circumstances behind the incident. The Trust participated in two meetings, raising questions over several factors which led to a 'very crowded situation outside the away turnstiles, and then subsequently inside the away section.'
Newcastle favourite hails 'captain' Kieran Trippier as he slams 'old-fashioned' Agbonlahor
Former Newcastle United defender Jose Enrique has dismissed Gabby Agonlahor's criticism of Kieran Trippier for continuing to travel with the squad on matchdays despite his injury. The England international has enjoyed an immediate impact on Tyneside since signing from Atletico Madrid in January.
Trippier is currently sidelined with a foot injury after scoring free-kicks in successive victories over Everton and Aston Villa last month. Newcastle have not provided a return date for the 31-year-old, although Eddie Howe has outlined his hope the defender will return before the end of the season.
The former Burnley and Tottenham full-back has travelled with the matchday squad for away matches despite his injury, and has been pictured joining in the dressing room celebrations after recent wins. Howe has confirmed Trippier will continue to play a key role despite his absence on the pitch, and praised his leadership qualities among his team-mates.
The Premier League fixtures Newcastle United will be keeping an eye on after the international break
Newcastle United will be keeping a close eye on developments involving the teams below them in the Premier League over the few weeks that follow the international break. Despite putting a significant gap between themselves and the relegation zone, the Magpies are still not totally safe.
Nine points is the difference between Eddie Howe’s side and the drop zone and he will still be desperate to increase that gap. At present, it is hard to imagine enough of the teams below United will be able to go ahead of them between now and the end of the season but stranger things have happened in football.
For the teams currently in the bottom three to mount a real survival push, there would have to be a serious upturn in fortunes but, with plenty of games between relegation-threatened sides left to play, there are certainly points on offer. Over the few weeks that succeed the international break, there are a few games that will be of interest to Newcastle players and supporters.
