Mikel Arteta has not ruled out William Saliba playing again this season despite his back injury once again sidelining him for Sunday’s trip to Newcastle.

The France international has missed the last seven games as Arsenal’s title bid faltered, with the Gunners having handed the initiative over to Manchester City after a run of one win in five.

Saliba’s absence has been felt hard, Arsenal conceding in each of the games he has missed having been involved in every Premier League game before being struck down by a niggling back issue.

Arteta said last week that the recovery was taking longer than expected.

“Not a lot of progress,” he said when asked for an update on the injury.

“He’s feeling better every day but he’s not been able to have any activity around the first team so we don’t expect him to be with us (at Newcastle).

“It’s about the healing process; pain-wise and the things he can do off the pitch he’s in a good place, but we have to build that capacity with the right load so that he’s able to contribute to the team.”

Pushed on whether it was time to accept Saliba was out for the season, he added: “We are not there yet because we’re always hopeful and the players are pushing to play. If that’s the case we’ll announce it, but hopefully not.”

Arsenal’s defensive injuries could have worsened further still as, with Saliba and Takehiro Tomiyasu sidelined, Gabriel Magalhaes was forced off during Tuesday’s win over Chelsea.

“We will have to see tomorrow how he is,” Arteta said at his media conference on Friday.

“But he could not finish the game so that was a big sign. We’ll have to see tomorrow.”

Arsenal could be four points adrift of City by the time they kick off at Newcastle, themselves aiming to push on a secure a third-placed finish this season.

The corresponding fixture last season came in the penultimate game of the campaign – a 2-0 win for Newcastle all-but ending Arsenal’s hopes of Champions League qualification.

Arteta, shown in the Amazon “All or Nothing: Arsenal” documentary, tore into his players after the game at St James’ Park – but he is not planning to use the damaging defeat as fuel this time around.

“It’s a very different game,” he said.

“Different players, different game. We’re going to have to play better than last year that’s for sure because we know at home they’ve been really good.

“I don’t think there’s too much to motivate from there. There’s a lot of things that we have to do better than that day. The group of players and the way they’re playing there is different.”

Marco Silva vowed Fulham would do everything they could to match their best-ever Premier League points tally with just four opportunities left to meet the objective.

Fulham last hit 53 points in 2008-09 under Roy Hodgson, ultimately finishing seventh that campaign.

Silva’s 10th-placed Cottagers are still eight points away from repeating that feat and have their next opportunity to move closer when they host relegation-threatened Leicester on Monday.

“We are going to fight for it,” said Silva. “We are going to fight because it’s a target for us, clearly it’s a target for us. We have 12 points to fight for and we are going to do our best.

“As always, game by game, thinking the next one will be a very good one at home at the Cottage that we want to do our best and we are going to do our best to win.

“It’s there, the target is there but realistically we are going to have to fight really hard to get it.”

Silva’s side are hoping to bounce back from three-consecutive losses, including Wednesday night’s Liverpool encounter decided by Mohamed Salah’s 39th-minute penalty – awarded following a VAR decision the Fulham boss reiterated should not have gone the Reds’ way.

He said: “Liverpool clearly didn’t deserve the result. It was a clear mistake that made us to lose the match and that penalty that I repeat is embarrassing, that decision and of course it’s up to us to react, to go again and to do our best to take the three points.”

Fulham’s second-most recent loss was at the hands of surging table-toppers Manchester City, who presented a very different challenge from the one expected from the 16th-placed Foxes on Monday.

Silva will be without midfielder Andreas Pereira and skipper Tim Ream, who were both ruled out for the rest of the season following injuries sustained in the City clash.

Dean Smith’s men are outside the drop zone on goal difference alone and Silva expects their precarious position to be a dangerous motivator come the Bank Holiday.

He added: “Probably the next game against Leicester will probably be even more difficult than against City and Liverpool.

“People probably don’t understand what I’m saying. I’m not saying that Leicester is a better team than the other two, that’s not what I’m saying, but they’re fighting for their lives.

“They come to play in a different way than the other two teams against us and of course, it will be a tough one, a good test, another one for us at the Cottage with our fans and of course we have to play as best as we can to win the game.”

Hollywood star Brad Pitt is set to drive at this year’s British Grand Prix to film scenes for his upcoming Formula One blockbuster.

It is understood that the 59-year-old American will race an adapted Formula Two car at Silverstone during the weekend of the Grand Prix which takes place on July 9.

Lewis Hamilton is helping to produce the movie, and the British driver’s Mercedes team has designed the bodywork for Pitt’s modified machine.

Pitt is expected to take to the track between practice sessions at the sold-out Formula One event, and no other cars will be on the circuit.

Apple has bought the rights to the movie with a reported budget of 140million US dollars (£125m). Joseph Kosinski, the man behind Top Gun: Maverick, will direct the film, in which Pitt’s character comes out of retirement to take on a rookie driver.

Speaking about his role in the blockbuster ahead of this weekend’s Miami Grand Prix, Hamilton, 38, said: “I am focused on making sure the script is where it needs to be, and making sure we have a great and diverse cast.

“Joe’s focus is to make sure we are as embedded into this sport as much as possible and it is current, and for me it is to make sure that it is authentic, and that it is believable and also to provide a view of racing from a different perspective than you might see on TV.

“I am spending a lot of time right now helping Joe and the team get the script right, and that is an amazing process and something I am really enjoying.”

Malik Tillman’s loan spell at Rangers has ended through injury as boss Michael Beale revealed Alfredo Morelos and Ryan Kent have not been offered new deals.

The 20-year-old attacking midfielder joined the Ibrox club on loan from German giants Bayern Munich last summer with the cinch Premiership outfit having the first option to buy with the fee reported to be around £5million.

Tillman had to come off in last week’s Scottish Cup semi-final defeat by Celtic at Hampden Park which effectively ended hopes of silverware, with the hamstring injury which rules him out of the last five fixtures.

Ahead of the cinch Premiership game against Aberdeen at Ibrox on Sunday, Beale said: “Unfortunately that is the end of Malik’s season.

“He has got a hamstring injury, he has gone back to Bayern for them to have a look at him as well.

“He has had his scan. It is a hugely sad ending to the season for him because he is obviously a fine young player and he has performed well for the club so far this season.

“That (talk of permanent deal) is all still on-going in the background as well.

“Me and Malik are in a great place on a personal level.

“He’s been brilliant for the club and I think brilliant for me in my time here.

“He’s a player I think has a really high ceiling – as high as anyone I’ve worked with in my time here at Rangers.

“There’s areas of his game that at 20 years old he certainly has to brush up on but that’s why he’s come on loan.

“We said we’d park the conversation until the middle of May because there’s a lot around it. We want to get to end of the season.

“And Malik has got a say in this as well. Obviously the two clubs have been talking back and forth and there’s agreements between them.

“But the most important person is Malik. If Malik wants to be here in Glasgow then it’s something we can make happen.

“Likewise if he’s unsure…

“We’d said we’d park the conversation until the middle of May and nothing has changed on that.”

After the Hoops defeat Beale promised the “biggest rebuild in years” and gave a strong hint that striker Morelos and Kent, both out of contract in the summer, would depart the club.

The former QPR boss said: “They have been two fantastic players for the club.

“We haven’t come forward with a contract offer, both have been free to speak to other clubs for a while now.

“But in terms of the next five games they are Rangers players and they will continue to be so until anything announced officially.”

Tottenham captain Hugo Lloris will not play again this season due to a thigh injury.

Lloris has not featured since he was replaced at half-time of Tottenham’s 6-1 thrashing at Newcastle and there are now doubts over whether he will play for the club again given his uncertain future with only one year left on his deal.

“Hugo’s out for the season,” Spurs’ acting head coach Ryan Mason confirmed ahead of Saturday’s visit of Crystal Palace.

“We had the results back. Obviously disappointing, but we kind of feared that initially. We did some more tests and he won’t play for us again this season.

“I can’t speak about next season but what I can say is that he has a very important role for us until the end of the season. We need him. We need him to be part of the group and I’m sure he will be.”

Lloris is alongside Emerson Royal (ankle), Ryan Sessegnon (hamstring), Yves Bissouma (ankle) and Rodrigo Bentancur (knee) on the treatment table.

Mason provided a positive update on Emerson and Bissouma but Sessegnon will not play again this season while Bentancur is set for a long spell on the sidelines as he recovers from anterior cruciate ligament damage.

On Bissouma, Mason said: “There are obviously some hurdles he has got to overcome and to hit some certain goals but we are hopeful he will appear before the end of the season.

“Ryan had a significant injury, he’s been out for a long time so Ryan won’t feature again this season.

“Emerson, I think it is a day-to-day check on how he is and how he’s coping. Hopefully Emerson can help us between now and end of the season.”

When Emerson does return to full fitness, it will increase the likelihood of Spurs reverting to a back four, which Mason used during his previous tenure in caretaker charge.

He hinted on Friday that a tactical switch could occur before Palace visit and also started his press conference with a congratulations message to the club’s under-18s.

Stuart Lewis’ side won 3-1 at Aston Villa to clinch the Under-18 Premier League Cup on Thursday night, having also sealed the Under-17 League Cup last month.

Academy graduate Mason is hopeful some of them can progress into the first-team.

“I’d just like to congratulate our under-18s from our academy because they won the under-18s Premier League Cup last night. Backed the under-17s up. It’s important and good for the football club,” Mason added.

“First of all you have to be good enough. That’s a challenge to any of our academy players.

“It is a big step up to the first team and we want them to aspire to that. We need academy players.

“We’ve got Harry Kane, we’ve got (Oliver) Skippy, we’ve got others in the squad that are helping. I understand and the club certainly understand the value in that.”

Mason also paid tribute to “amazing” Crystal Palace boss Roy Hodgson, who gave him his solitary England cap in 2015.

“I will obviously always have a soft spot for Roy Hodgson because he gave me my England debut,” he said of the 75-year-old.

“I think the most important thing in football is if you have the fire inside you and if you can influence players and he’s definitely got that still.”

Roy Hodgson rubbished “insulting” reports of Wilfried Zaha being unhappy at his substitution against West Ham last week as he defended the player ahead of Crystal Palace’s trip to Tottenham.

The Ivory Coast forward appeared to cut a frustrated figure when he was brought off during Palace’s 4-3 win over the Hammers.

However, Palace manager Hodgson has since refuted suggestions it was as a result of being taken off the pitch, instead claiming the attacker’s unhappiness was in response to another player on the pitch.

“He’s fine, he’s a good captain. I’m irritated to some extent,” Hodgson said.

“The press are reporting that Wilf was angry at being taken off, how do the press feel they have the right to report that?

“He wasn’t angry at being taken off at all. In fact he and I discussed him playing an extra 10 minutes when I’d been thinking about taking him off 10 minutes earlier.

“I hear that he was going on about one of the other players in the game, he certainly wasn’t moaning about being taken off.”

Zaha returned to the line-up against West Ham after a spell out with injury and scored Palace’s second on a day where he was named captain of the side.

And Hodgson alluded to his leadership qualities in a team of young players as Palace prepare to face an out-of-form Spurs on Saturday.

“It’s an insult really as we are talking about someone who I made captain of the team, and he was working hard to show an example to the team, saying this is what’s needed,” the manager said.

“For him to read that Wilf Zaha throws his toys out the pram is totally and utterly untrue, I think that’s unfair. I think that’s bad journalism. Hopefully you guys weren’t responsible, one b****** was that’s for sure.”

Palace’s resurgence in form under Hodgson has seen them pick up four wins in six and hit the 40-point-mark for the season – a tally the Eagles boss believes has secured their Premier League status for next season.

He said: “Forty is always a target. I didn’t go down and set that target and speak to the players about it. We keep getting points where we can and let’s in every game try and come away with something, that’s probably been the only real, serious aim.

“Now we have got to 40 we can say the job is done in the sense that we aren’t going to get relegated. These last four games, I think, are an ideal opportunity to get extra points and hopefully win other games and get ourselves, if possible, higher up the table.”

Erik ten Hag is confident Manchester United will bounce back from their latest setback and go on to seal “vital” Champions League qualification over the coming weeks.

This has largely been a season of improvement and promise under the Dutchman, but the Red Devils’ away form against the better sides has been wretched.

United have not won a Premier League game at any of the top nine teams, with Thursday’s last-gasp defeat at Brighton meaning they have collected just one point from a possible 27 on the road against those sides.

Alexis Mac Allister’s stoppage-time penalty sealed Brighton a 1-0 win that leaves Ten Hag’s men just four points above fifth-placed Liverpool, albeit with a game in hand.

Thursday’s loss was a blow but United have proven adept at recovering from them this season, with the manager confident of Champions League qualification.

“We have every time in this season when we had a defeat, we bounce back,” Ten Hag said ahead of Sunday’s trip to West Ham. “So, I count on my players, I count on my team. We have to do it again.

“There is no time to stay in this (disappointment), so in one hour we go onto the game against West Ham United. All focus on that.

“We prepare for them, we make a good plan, the players have to take responsibility and they will do. I count on them.

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“They have to do it and they can do it because we have the evidence in the season. Every time when we had disappointments, they bounce back.”

Pushed on the top four race, the United boss said: “We had a quite good run from the last five – four wins and a draw (before Brighton).

“We have everything in our hands, so we have to focus on our performance. I trust my players, so I am quite convinced about that.”

Ten Hag has never shied away from the importance of qualifying for the Champions League and recently stressed there can be “no misunderstanding” about their need to return to Europe’s top table.

Reiterating that stance after the loss at Brighton, he said: “Manchester United, of course, we need to be there in the Champions League.

“We want to be there because we want to challenge with the best teams in the world, so we do everything that’s in our power to get that done.

“I think it is always vital that we have to be in the Champions League.

“It’s a battle because in the Premier League many clubs are competing for it and they have the power to fight for that as well. We want to be there. We do everything to get there.”

Ten Hag says there are no fresh concerns as their Champions League qualification quest continues at the London Stadium, where they could be boosted by Alejandro Garnacho’s return.

The talented 18-year-old winger has been out for eight weeks with an ankle injury and Ten Hag said that “maybe he can be involved but we have to see”.

One player that is perhaps fortunate to be available on Sunday is Antony, who received only a booking for a frustrated challenge on Mac Allister.

Asked about channelling the Brazil international’s passion, Ten Hag said: “Yeah, but I think his passion is his strength.

“Of course, until a certain level you have to control it. But you need passion and desire to win your games and to win battles in the game.

“It’s true, it’s very strong with him. He is very ambitious.

“As I say, don’t go over the top, stay focused on your game and what the game needs. If he is doing that, he is a great player.

“I think his performance, his improvement is quite obvious and clear.”

Lewis Hamilton has raised the remarkable prospect of extending his Formula One career into his fifties on the eve of this weekend’s Miami Grand Prix.

Hamilton has only six months to run on his current £40million-a-year deal at Mercedes, but both sides say a contract extension – which is set to carry the seven-time world champion beyond his 40th birthday – will be agreed.

Hamilton, 38, is the second-oldest driver on the F1 grid behind Fernando Alonso. The Spaniard, 42 in July, is enjoying an upturn in his career with his rejuvenated Aston Martin team.

Hamilton is also heavily involved in a new Hollywood F1 blockbuster starring Brad Pitt. The 59-year-old American actor will play the role of a former driver emerging from retirement.

It emerged here in Miami that Pitt is set to drive an adapted Formula Two car during filming for the movie at the British Grand Prix in July.

“You can never say never,” said Hamilton, when asked about his longevity and the possibility of competing against Alonso in his fifties.

“Brad is going to be racing in the movie in his fifties, so I would be the third-oldest driver.

“There are people out there like Tom Brady [who retired, aged 45]. There are different ways you can train, how you can eat, and your focus.

“The technology in our bodies is shifting, and it is just about the mentality and whether or not you still have the drive to sacrifice the same as you did when you first started, and I do.

“I cannot speak for Fernando but I am hoping for more great fights with him moving forward.”

Juan Manuel Fangio is the oldest man to win a world championship. The Argentine captured his fifth title when he was 46 in 1957.

Hamilton was then asked if the physical demands of the sport’s gruelling record-breaking calendar are impacting his recovery.

But the Mercedes man replied: “It is not taking me longer to recover. It is better because I am more focused on recovery than I ever have been before.

“When I was 22, I was not focused on recovery. I didn’t know anything about it. I was just going home having a pizza, and not knowing what I needed to do the next day.

“I did not have any specialists around me to help me navigate that. I didn’t have the details of what to eat, how to replenish the liquids I lost, stretching, and all those different things.

“I wasn’t doing that back then. I don’t know if the drivers back in the day were that fit. They probably fell off quicker than us because we train a lot more than they did.”

Hamilton remains motivated to win a record eighth title. However, the British driver is on the longest losing streak of his F1 career.

Red Bull have won 14 of the last 15 races with Hamilton already 45 points behind championship leader Max Verstappen after just four rounds.

And Hamilton warned Red Bull’s dominance could last until 2026 if the current regulations – ironically introduced last year to make the racing closer – are not changed.

“We need to do better as a sport,” said Hamilton. “They have tried to bring the teams closer but it never seems to work.

“It is good that we are trying new things and evolving, but it is just unfortunate that we see the same kind of gaps between teams.

“I don’t know what the solution is for the future but we have to continue to adapt the regulations otherwise it could be the same as it is now until 2026.”

Alexis Mac Allister believes Brighton are proving they have the quality to reach Europe after his nerveless penalty secured an “unforgettable” 1-0 win over Manchester United.

The Seagulls soared to sixth spot in the Premier League table, above Tottenham and Aston Villa, thanks to Mac Allister thumping home with virtually the last kick of Thursday’s pulsating contest.

Roberto De Zerbi’s free-flowing side have two games in hand on Spurs and Villa, as well as fifth-placed Liverpool, who sit just four points above them.

Argentina midfielder Mac Allister says Albion must focus on their own situation and results as they bid to cap a memorable campaign by achieving continental qualification.

“We know that it’s the end of the season and these three points are very important,” he told Brighton’s club website.

“The way we are playing is very important because we feel very good. We will do our best to finish as high as we can.

“We have to think about ourselves and not look at the other teams. If we play the way we play, we will have big chances to fight for a European spot and that has to be our aim.”

World Cup winner Mac Allister kept his composure to fire into the top-left corner from 12 yards nine minutes into added time after Luke Shaw’s inexplicable handball was penalised following VAR intervention.

The 24-year-old’s 11th club goal of the season prompted more jubilant scenes inside the Amex Stadium on the back of Saturday’s record-breaking 6-0 hammering of Wolves.

“It was so special,” he said. “For the team and the fans, it was an amazing win and something unforgettable.”

Brighton’s last-gasp success partially avenged their painful FA Cup semi-final penalty shoot-out defeat to United 11 days earlier.

The Seagulls also broke the club-record top-flight points tally by moving on to 55 – three more than they managed in the the 42-game 1981-82 season – with six games still to go.

Goalkeeper Jason Steele, who made smart saves to deny Marcus Rashford, Anthony Martial and Bruno Fernandes, admits Albion’s recent Wembley agony gave them additional incentive.

“It wasn’t about revenge or anything like that,” he said. “Did we have a little bit extra motivation? Yeah, probably.

“But I don’t think it spilled over into anything other than that and we deserved to win.

“It was a big night for us. Two good teams were going toe to toe, really enjoyable to play in and the last-minute winner, you can’t beat that.”

Brighton complete a trio of consecutive home games against relegation-threatened Everton on Monday evening.

The fitness of Pascal Gross and Evan Ferguson will be assessed ahead of that match but head coach De Zerbi does not expect to have Joel Veltman back from injury.

Manchester United’s wretched record away to the Premier League’s best continued with Thursday’s late loss to Brighton.

The Red Devils have failed to win any of their away games against the current top nine teams, drawing one and losing the other eight.

Here, the PA news agency looks at that poor record as Erik ten Hag’s first season in charge edges towards a conclusion.

Brentford (currently 9th) 4 Manchester United 0 – August 13, 2022

Ten Hag’s first away match in charge ended in a 4-0 capitulation, with a mixture of catastrophic defensive ineptitude and Brentford opportunism meaning the Red Devils were four down at half-time. David De Gea gifted the first two to Josh Dasilva and Mathias Jensen, Ben Mee helped himself to a third and Bryan Mbeumo hit a slick fourth on a chastening afternoon for the visitors.

Manchester City (currently 1st) 6 Manchester United 3 – October 2, 2022

The phenomenal Erling Haaland and Phil Foden both scored hat-tricks in a Manchester derby humbling that evoked memories of City’s famous 6-1 win at Old Trafford in 2011. Foden began the rout after just eight minutes and United were a distinct second best thereafter, although Antony pulled one back and Anthony Martial also claimed two consolation efforts.

Aston Villa (currently 8th) 3 Manchester United 1 – November 6, 2022

United fell to their first Premier League loss at Villa Park since 1995 in what proved to be Cristiano Ronaldo’s final match at the club. The Portuguese wore the armband in Birmingham, where the hosts ended a 9,941-day wait to beat the Red Devils in Unai Emery’s first match in charge. Leon Bailey and Lucas Digne scored inside the opening 11 minutes, with Jacob Ramsey atoning for deflecting in a Luke Shaw strike by scoring a fine effort just after half-time.

Arsenal (currently 2nd) 3 Manchester United 2 – January 22, 2023

Eddie Nketiah flicked home a late winner as title-chasing Arsenal won a five-goal thriller in the capital. In-form Marcus Rashford scored a stunning opener that was cancelled out by Nketiah before Bukayo Saka’s own top-drawer finish had Arsenal ahead. Lisandro Martinez, an Arsenal target last summer, levelled but Nketiah would turn home a wayward Martin Odegaard shot to secure a memorable win.

Liverpool (currently 5th) 7 Manchester United 0 – March 5, 2023

Ten Hag fumed at his side’s “unprofessional” display in a loss that equalled United’s record competitive defeat – against Blackburn in 1926, Aston Villa in 1930 and Wolves in 1931. Just a week on from lifting the Carabao Cup, the Old Trafford giants were brought back down to earth with a bump at Anfield. Cody Gakpo’s smart strike had Liverpool ahead at the break and nobody could have foreseen the way United would unravel. Gakpo, Darwin Nunez and Mohamed Salah ended the day with two goals apiece, with substitute Roberto Firmino completing a win that will live long in the memory of both clubs.

Newcastle (currently 3rd) 2 Manchester United 0 – April 2, 2023

The loss to Liverpool was called “unprofessional” and United defender Luke Shaw labelled the defeat at St James’ Park “unacceptable”. Boss Ten Hag agreed with the left-back’s assessment that the Magpies were “more determined, more passionate” and had “more desire” as Joe Willock and substitute Callum Wilson secured the hosts a win that was more one-sided than the scoreline suggested.

Tottenham (currently 7th) 2 Manchester United 2 – April 27, 2023

United last week blew a two-goal lead against a Spurs side playing their first match since replacing interim Cristian Stellini with another caretaker boss in the wake of their 6-1 trouncing at Newcastle. First-half efforts by Jadon Sancho and Rashford put United in cruise control, only for Ryan Mason’s half-time message to do the trick. Pedro Porro reduced the deficit and Son Heung-min levelled.

Brighton (currently 6th) 1 Manchester United 0 – May 4, 2023

Ten Hag bemoaned Thursday’s “annoying” last-gasp loss at Brighton, where Alexis Mac Allister slammed home from the penalty spot in the ninth minute of added time after Shaw’s inexplicable handball was punished following VAR intervention. Ten Hag conceded his side contributed to their own downfall during a pulsating south-coast clash.

Eddie Howe has admitted Newcastle will have to unearth future superstars before they hit the headlines after playing down links with Cristiano Ronaldo and Neymar.

The high-flying Magpies have found themselves at the centre of speculation over big-money moves ever since Amanda Staveley’s Saudi-backed consortium completed its takeover at St James’ Park in October 2021.

Newcastle, in which Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund holds an 80 per cent stake, have invested in excess of £250million in new players in the last three transfer windows, but have been touted as contenders to land both Portuguese giant Ronaldo and Brazilian counterpart Neymar in recent days.

Asked about the prospect of some of the best players in the world one day plying their trade on Tyneside, head coach Howe – who has persistently cited financial fair play as a limiting factor on the club’s recruitment plans – said: “It is best to discover them before they explode onto the world scene.

“We could not be able to come close to affording those players as they are the best players in the world.

“We are never going to be in a position currently to afford those transfer fees and wages, so we need to go underneath and find them young and develop them into the players they can be.”

The Magpies’ business to date has been shrewd with the likes of Nick Pope and Kieran Trippier having arrived for relatively modes fees before more sizeable investment in Bruno Guimaraes, Sven Botman, Alexander Isak and Anthony Gordon.

But, having guided the club into third place in the Premier League table ahead of Sunday’s showdown with title-chasing Arsenal, Howe knows it is inevitable they will be linked with bigger names.

Asked about Ronaldo and Neymar, he said: “That kind of speculation has been there from day one since the takeover, really. Naturally everyone has then assumed the biggest names in world football will be going to Newcastle.

“Now we’ve not recruited that way. Financially, we can’t recruit that way at the moment, but also we have to bring the right people and the right players into the group.

“I will say the transfer market is such a complex decision, you can’t just pick a name and bring them in. There’s got to be a lot of thought going into what we’re doing both financially and looking at the players.”

“Those two players are unbelievable players. We are linked with different names.

“I know what direction I want to take the team in and what we can and can’t do in the transfer market.”

Howe’s comments came amid reports that Lionel Messi could command a £320million a year package – £15million more than Staveley and her partners paid for Newcastle – if he opts to move to Saudi Arabia’s Pro League this summer.

The Premier League is reaching its climax and issues are becoming clearer at both ends of the table.

Here, the PA news agency looks at the talking points ahead of the weekend’s games.

The return of ‘Big Sam’

Leeds go to Manchester City on Saturday for Sam Allardyce’s first game since leaving West Brom in 2021, following the sacking of Javi Gracia. The former Bolton and West Ham boss has been bullish about his ability, saying he is equal to any manager in the league. It will be a thankless task at the Etihad, though, with City having won 14 of their last 15 games – and drawing the other – in all competitions. Defeat might be expected but Allardyce knows how to squeeze the best out of sides and Leeds need their late gamble to work.

Revived Liverpool can cement fifth

Five straight wins and seven unbeaten in the Premier League have lifted Liverpool to fifth, and while the top four seems unlikely they are in pole position to finish best of the rest. The visit of Brentford represents another chance to cement their place ahead of the chasing pack of Brighton, Tottenham and Aston Villa. Jurgen Klopp’s side have rediscovered some swagger and a way to win – snatching a 4-3 injury-time victory over Spurs despite blowing a 3-0 lead – even if it is a little late.

Arsenal entering the endgame

The Gunners’ trip to Newcastle may finally see their title chance slip away. With City hosting Leeds on Saturday, they could find themselves four points behind the leaders by the time they kick off at St James’ Park. It has been a gallant attempt from Arsenal, one few would have foreseen at the start of the season, but they are teetering on the brink of seeing City take another title. The Magpies have won four of their last five games to cement their top-four place while Arsenal need to win in the north east to keep their hopes alive.

Forest’s big chance with Saints on the brink

At the bottom, Southampton looked doomed and Nottingham Forest cannot pass up the chance to boost their survival chances. As the Monday night game, the hosts will know how their relegation rivals did – with Leicester heading to Fulham, Leeds at Man City and Everton going to Brighton – and favourable fixtures elsewhere make a win at the City Ground imperative. Defeat would leave the Saints staring into the abyss and the Championship. If they lose, and one of Leicester and Leeds win, they will be nine points from safety with an inferior goal difference and three games left.

Can Chelsea get any worse?

Beleaguered Frank Lampard takes Chelsea to resurgent Bournemouth on Saturday having lost all of his six games in charge in all competitions. They have not won in the league for almost two months and have scored just twice since the former England man replaced Graham Potter in April until the end of the season. Chelsea have fast become a laughing stock, having spent almost £600m this season, and go to the Cherries with the hosts mid-table and virtually safe. It would not be a surprise to see Lampard’s record read 007 by 5pm on Saturday – hardly a licence to thrill.