A round-up of the latest Newcastle United headlines on Friday, 19 August.
Newcastle United's Bruno fears allayed after 'stay' vow and Real Madrid clear up bid talk
Bruno Guimaraes looks set to stay at Newcastle United after Eddie Howe made it clear he has no intention of selling up - and sources close to the player indicating he will remain on Tyneside.
Talk of Real Madrid lining up the Newcastle midfielder as a replacement swept around the football world on Thursday but Howe addressed those concerns at his Press conference today.
And while Real Madrid boss Carlo Ancelotti accepts he will lose star midfielder he said he is not looking for a direct replacement: "Casemiro is leaving but we have a lot of resources to replace him. There is no turning back, Casemiro has decided to try a new challenge. We want to wish him the very best.
"Just yesterday I realised that Casemiro is leaving, but our plans don't change - we'll compete for everything with or without Casemiro."
Pep Guardiola's classy message to Newcastle United as Man City boss pinpoints five dangerous players
Pep Guardiola has pinpointed five Newcastle United stars ahead of the Super Sunday clash against Manchester City at St James' Park.
The former Barcelona and Bayern Munich boss knows the dangers that lurk at Gallowgate and is not looking at the encounter as a foregone conclusion having lost to the Magpies in 2019 and been held during the Steve Bruce era. But Guardiola is cautious ahead of the crunch meeting.
When asked about Newcastle's danger men, he said: "I saw the game when we won 5-0 again and we struggled for second balls. Allan Saint-Maximin, Miguel Almiron are exceptional players in terms of how direct and aggressive they are.
Eddie Howe's top response when asked if Newcastle will use Jack Grealish's Miguel Almiron jibe
Eddie Howe has refused to be drawn on Jack Grealish's disparaging remark about Miguel Almiron - but the Newcastle United head coach confirmed his side are 'highly motivated' for the visit of Man City.
Grealish quipped that one of the 'secrets' behind City's title-winning comeback against Aston Villa on the final day of last season was manager Pep Guardiola taking off Riyad Mahrez 'as soon as possible' because the Algeria international 'played like Almiron '. Grealish and Almiron will now come face to face at St James' Park on Sunday for the first time since the City star made that comment while speaking to team-mate Bernardo Silva in an Instagram video following the champions' open top bus parade in Manchester last May.
Although Howe, understandably, did not want to react to what Grealish said, the Newcastle boss was asked if he was adverse to ever using such utterances to motivate his players even further for what is already a huge match against the champions.
Manchester City battering last season outlines Newcastle United’s defensive transformation
Eight months ago, Newcastle United were ripped apart on home soil by the Premier League champions. A whipping against Manchester City is no surprise - there was another to come in May after all - but the 4-0 defeat at St James’ Park last December laid bare all of the Magpies’ problems.
If the new regime did not know how much investment was needed in January before this fixture - they certainly knew afterwards. A four-man defence of Jacob Murphy, Jamaal Lascelles, Ciaran Clark and Matt Ritchie were given a tough afternoon by Pep Guardiola’s star-studded line-up.
Wingers converted into full-backs exposed the Toon backline - and where the priorities needed to lie in the transfer market. The defeat left Newcastle three points adrift from safety despite playing two games more than 17th-placed Watford.
Newcastle United fans warned that booing Jack Grealish may backfire against Manchester City
Newcastle United fans have been warned that booing Jack Grealish on Sunday may motivate him into proving a point. It’s largely expected that the £100m man will get a feisty reception from the Geordie faithful following his comments about Miguel Almiron.
Back in May as Manchester City were celebrating winning the Premier League title, Grealish was captured making a joke about Riyad Mahrez at Miguel Almiron’s expense. The England international remarked that Mahrez had played ‘like Almiron’ during the champions' final-day victory over Aston Villa.
It was a remark that angered most Newcastle fans who felt it was a disrespectful dig at Almiron. The Paraguayan had a storming pre-season with many Toon supporters joking it was down to Grealish’s harsh words serving as motivation.
Former Newcastle United midfielder Joey Barton opens up about mental struggles
Joey Barton has described the past year as his “most challenging” and revealed he recently suffered from depression. The former Newcastle United talisman opened up to Men’s Health magazine, with legal battles and football management taking their toll on the 39-year-old.
In June, Barton’s trial for allegedly assaulting his wife was adjourned until the autumn. Last December, the ex-Magpies midfielder was found not guilty of assaulting former Barnsley Daniel Stendel after a 4-2 defeat in April 2019.
These off-field struggles, combined with the rigours of professional football, pushed Barton to the brink. Talking to Alistair Campbell, the Bristol Rovers manager - who achieved promotion to League One last season - spoke candidly about his mental health.
Eddie Howe praised for Kevin Keegan invite to 'embrace' Newcastle's past to build exciting future
Eddie Howe is right to 'embrace' the history of Newcastle United after extending an invite to club legend Kevin Keegan to speak to his squad. That is the view of former Entertainers midfielder Lee Clark, who feels the current head coach and sporting director Dan Ashworth have proven they are keen to learn from the past to help shape the Magpies' future.
Howe spoke with Keegan before his appointment in the role last November in an effort to garner a greater understanding of the club and the city. The former Bournemouth boss has challenged the current generation to write their own chapter in the Magpies' history, referencing the title-challenging period in the 1990s during Keegan's first spell in charge.
The 71-year-old became distanced from United after a falling-out with former owner Mike Ashley led to his second resignation in September 2008. However, the club's new owners along with Howe have taken steps to rebuild bridges with former favourites who had become ostracised by the previous regime.
READ NEXT
- Match verdict as Nick Pope justifies big Eddie Howe decision
- Pope shines and Joelinton strong: Newcastle player ratings
- Callum Wilson talks about life at Newcastle's under-construction training ground
- Brendan Rodgers drops fresh hint to Newcastle United on James Maddison
- Newcastle transfers state of play as Howe has already commented on Benfica star
