A woman bombarded Chelsea midfielder Mason Mount with messages in a four-month stalking campaign after he broke off their relationship, a court has heard.

TikToker Orla Melissa Sloan, 21, pleaded guilty to stalking the 24-year-old and his former team-mate Billy Gilmour, 21, as well as harassing fellow Blues star Ben Chilwell, 26, at Westminster Magistrates’ Court on Wednesday.

The court heard she slept with Mount, who had surgery on a pelvic injury last month, after they met at a party at his England team-mate Chilwell’s home in November 2020.

Prosecutor Jason Seetal said they stayed in contact for around six months before Mount “decided that the relationship was not going to progress”.

“Upon informing Miss Sloan of this, he has been subjected to a bombardment of messages,” he said.

“He began asking her to stop messaging him before blocking the number.

“He then began to receive messages from new numbers and each time he would block those numbers there would be messages from a different number.”

Mr Seetal said a total of 21 different numbers were used to contact Mount with some messages including collages of photos of the player with other women.

The court heard that in one message from an Instagram account using the name ‘Devil Baby’, she said: “I can morph at any time so let me apologise and set things right.”

Another showed an Apple account buying a new number for £12.99 with the words: “I’m not buying food anymore so I can get more numbers. I will be faster than you.”

Mr Seetal said Mount was “concerned she had an obsession or fixation with him and he didn’t know what she was capable of”.

In a statement, Mount said: “Miss Sloan knows roughly where I live and where I train.

“I’m worried as if she is unable to contact me she might turn up at my training centre.”

The court heard other messages were aimed at professional footballers, friends and family members, including left-back Chilwell.

He told how he found Sloan’s behaviour “erratic”, while Scotland midfielder Gilmour said her messages had a “huge impact” on his life, after he joined Brighton from Chelsea last September.

“I have not been able to sleep and have had to take sleeping tablets,” he said.

“It’s had a negative effect on my performance and professional life.”

“Being in a new town where I don’t have my friends or family, it’s really upsetting.”

The court heard Gilmour had initially exchanged messages with Sloan before telling her he did not want their contact to continue and did not have a relationship with her.

But she claimed to have fallen pregnant in allegations described in court as “completely fictitious”.

“I don’t know who I can trust anymore,” Gilmour said.

“Some of the information would only have been known by people close to me.”

Sloan, from Exeter, pleaded guilty to causing “serious alarm or distress” by stalking Gilmour between September 10 and October 28 last year.

She also admitted stalking Mount between June 19 and October 28 last year, as well as causing harassment to Chilwell between October 20 and October 29, 2022.

District Judge Neeta Minhas adjourned sentencing to June 20 for reports to be prepared, telling her the most serious offence, against Gilmour, crossed the custody threshold.

She was granted unconditional bail.

Nick Pope is to undergo an operation on his left hand and looks set to miss Newcastle’s final game of the season against Chelsea.

Pope, an ever-present in the Premier League in his first season at St James’ Park following his £10million move from Burnley, has been instrumental in the Magpies guaranteeing a top-four finish.

The 31-year-old goalkeeper made a fine save on Monday to deny Leicester’s Timothy Castagne and ensure Eddie Howe’s side got the point they needed to guarantee Champions League football next term for the first time in 20 years.

A goalless draw against the Foxes was Pope’s 14th clean sheet in the top flight this season but it seems likely to be his final match of the season, with his left arm bandaged when he attended an event in Northumberland on Wednesday afternoon.

And Newcastle confirmed Pope has withdrawn from the England squad for next month’s Euro 2024 qualifiers against Malta and North Macedonia next month as he is set to have surgery on his hand.

“Nick Pope – who withdrew from the last Three Lions squad due to injury – is not involved as he is set to undergo an operation on his hand,” a statement on Newcastle’s website read.

Erik ten Hag expects Marcus Rashford to be ready to face Chelsea on Thursday night but admitted he is not sure whether Manchester United’s top scorer is fully fit.

Rashford has missed United’s last two fixtures, first with a leg injury and then through illness, but has returned to training this week.

Asked if the 29-goal forward was ready to play, Ten Hag said: “It looks like (it). Yesterday, he returned to training, he looks quite fit but we have to see today what is the outcome of the training, how did we recover and then we will make our choices.”

Rashford’s absence against Wolves and Bournemouth – both games United won without him – once again brought into focus United’s lack of depth in the forward positions.

Anthony Martial was handed a rare start on the south coast on Sunday, but headed straight down the tunnel when he was withdrawn after an hour before later returning to the bench.

Martial’s reaction led to fresh speculation over his United future. The 27-year-old, who finished last season on loan at Sevilla, has scored eight times in 27 appearances for United this season, but has struggled at times with injuries.

“If you are not available, you can’t score,” Ten Hag said. “When he was available we played better, the team is winning games, he’s also scoring goals but he has to be available.”

And Ten Hag also batted away a question about speculation linking United with Paris St Germain’s Brazil forward Neymar by offering his stock answer on transfer rumours, saying: “When we have news, we will tell you.”

United will secure a top-four place and a return to the Champions League for next season if they take at least a point against Frank Lampard’s side.

“It’s clear, we want to win every game,” the Dutchman said. “That is what we do all season so tomorrow we want to do the same, we want to win the game, play dominant football and get the job done…

“First, we have to win the game tomorrow and get the job done. Then, it’s about judgement from others if it’s a good, bad or normal performance.

“We are in a project, we want to go back and win trophies, we win one trophy but we want more trophies, compete with the best, we are still in a journey but we think we are in the right direction but it can always be better. Because good is not good enough.”

With the League Cup trophy already in the cabinet, booking a return to Europe’s premier competition would be another significant marker for Ten Hag in his first season at Old Trafford.

“If we want to compete with the best, then you have to be in the Champions League,” he said.

“We want to compete with the best and be in the Champions League. In the Premier League, you have to be one of the first four, that’s not easy, many are competing for it, many think they should be in and we are one of them.”

Russell Martin is poised to become Southampton’s new head coach on a three-year deal.

The former Scotland international is expected to seal the move on Wednesday afternoon, the PA news agency understands.

He will join from Swansea as the Saints move quickly to prepare for life in the Championship.

Martin verbally agreed to take over at St Mary’s over the weekend but the clubs remained in discussions over compensation.

Martin guided Swansea to 10th in the Championship last season despite having a bottom-four budget and the youngest squad in the division.

He has been praised for his style and Southampton will be hoping the 37-year-old can guide them back to the Premier League at the first attempt.

They will finish bottom of the Premier League after a disastrous season which has seen them use three managers.

Nathan Jones replaced Ralph Hasenhuttl in November but lasted just 14 games, winning one, and was sacked in February. Ruben Selles took charge for the final months of the campaign but was unable to keep Saints up.

On Monday, chief executive Martin Semmens stepped down from his role following relegation having been in the post since 2019.

The Saints have also confirmed Selles will leave the end of the season after talks.

A statement read: “Southampton Football Club can confirm that it has held conversations with Men’s First Team Manager, Ruben Selles, and decided that his contract will not be renewed when it expires at the end of the season.

“The club wants to place on record its thanks to Ruben for taking on the managerial position at a difficult time for the club and for giving his all as we attempted to stay in the Premier League.

“Ruben will take charge of the team for the final game against Liverpool on Sunday at St Mary’s. We wish him all the best for his future career.”

Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola has called for more than 100 Premier League charges levelled against the club for alleged financial regularities to be resolved immediately.

City were referred to an independent commission in February over alleged rule breaches between 2009 and 2018, with the Premier League also accusing City of not co-operating since the investigation started in December 2018.

The sheer scale of the charges, which the club strongly deny, and the magnitude of the implications if found guilty suggest it is a case which will drag on for months, possibly years.

However, Guardiola does not want a cloud hanging over his side’s remarkable achievements and wants a resolution as soon as possible.

But the Catalan, who has a contract until 2025, stressed he would not walk away from the club while potential sanctions remain.

“I will stay next season while there are 110 breaches against us,” said Guardiola, who when asked whether he could extend three or four years beyond that added: “No, no, no. These two are enough.

“What I would like is if the Premier League and judges could make something as soon as possible, then if we have done something wrong everybody will know it.

“And if, we are like we believe as a club for many years, in the right way then the people will stop talking about that.

“We would love it tomorrow, this afternoon better than tomorrow.

“Hopefully they are not so busy and the judges can see both sides and decide what is the best because in the end I know fairly what we won we won on the pitch and we don’t have any doubts.

“We accept it is there. If it happened it happened. (But) let’s go, 24 hours sit down and lawyers present. Don’t wait two years. Why don’t we do it quicker?

“Let’s have it as soon as possible for the benefit of everyone. We want to defend our principles and if people doubt, OK, let’s go, let’s do it as soon as possible please.”

The alleged breaches concern the reporting of accurate financial information, the submission of details of manager and player pay information within the relevant contracts, a club’s responsibility as a Premier League member to adhere to UEFA’s Financial Fair Play regulations and to the league’s own profitability and sustainability regulations.

The club are also alleged to have breached rules requiring them to co-operate and assist with the Premier League’s investigation into those breaches, which the league says began in December 2018.

City have just won a fifth title in six seasons, and have won it seven times since 2011, and are chasing a treble with FA Cup and Champions League finals to come, but while the charges still loom large over the club Guardiola is not close to losing his hunger to win more domestic titles.

“Introduce me to a manager who doesn’t want to win. I’m scared to lose, I don’t want to be criticised, I want respect from my players,” he added.

“What we say, what we do, is to win. I accept my defeats because I always accept that the opponents can be better and beat us.

“So when people say we failed or lost it is like the others are s***. But the others can be good and beat us. It’s like ignoring the other ones.

“When people say now that next season just Manchester City can win the Premier league they are stupid comments.

“Next season will be tough because all clubs want to beat us. That is the challenge. Next season we defend our crown, it belongs to us for one year and we will work for it.

“If they (rivals) want it they have to do it better than us. But if it happens, we will congratulate them.

“United can beat us (in the FA Cup). Inter can beat us. They have three Champions Leagues, we don’t have any, but we have to do our best to try to avoid it.”

Roberto De Zerbi revealed Lewis Dunk has played through the pain barrier to aid Brighton’s European quest as he backed his captain for an England recall.

Seagulls centre-back Dunk has been ever-present in the Premier League this campaign but could begin on the bench against champions Manchester City on Wednesday evening due to ongoing calf and back issues.

Albion boss De Zerbi admits the 31-year-old took time to adapt to his high-intensity, possession-based style of play after he replaced Graham Potter in September.

Yet the Italian says influential leader Dunk has since cemented his status as a guaranteed starter and “deserves” another shot at international football.

“At first it was not so easy for him to understand my idea but he gave me total availability,” said De Zerbi.

“I would like him to be more open because he doesn’t speak a lot but he’s an example inside of the dressing room, inside of the pitch.

“He’s playing with a lot of problems because he has calf and back problems but he is playing every game.

“Tomorrow he can start on the bench but I don’t know because if he can play with me in Brighton, he has to play always.”

England manager Gareth Southgate will on Wednesday name his squad for next month’s Euro 2024 qualifiers against Malta and North Macedonia.

Dunk was capped by Southgate in a 3-0 friendly win over the United States in November 2018 but has not featured again for his country.

“He deserves to play in the national team,” said De Zerbi.

“It’s not my work to decide the players of the national team but for us it should be a target.

“I hope he can play in the national team.”

Brighton secured continental football next term with two games to spare thanks to Sunday’s 3-1 win over relegated Southampton.

Sixth-placed Albion will almost certainly be in the Europa League due to their healthy goal difference but need one more point to banish any prospect of having to settle for the Europa Conference League.

De Zerbi has warned the Seagulls must improve their squad during the summer in order to avoid potentially following divisional rivals Leicester and West Ham in slipping from European contenders to relegation candidates.

The Foxes are on the brink of falling into the Sky Bet Championship after playing in Europe during the previous two seasons, while David Moyes’ Europa Conference League finalists were in danger of the drop for much of this campaign.

“I push with Tony (Bloom, Brighton owner) to improve the squad every day,” said De Zerbi.

“I don’t want my club to spend too much money but we have to improve. To compete in four competitions, we have to improve and know the situation.

“Leicester, West Ham this year explain the Premier League.

“If you don’t improve year by year you can find a surprise the year after because our achievement this year is not important for the next year.

“Next year we will start not in sixth position, we start level with the other teams.”

Everton have activated their option to extend the contract of midfielder Abdoulaye Doucoure by 12 months.

It represents quite a turnaround in four months for the Mali international who, in the latter days of Frank Lampard’s reign, was training away from the first-team squad after a disagreement with the then Toffees boss.

Having been brought back into the fold when Sean Dyche was appointed in late January, the 30-year-old has scored four goals – ending a drought dating back to September 2021 – in his last nine games, including two in the crucial 5-1 win at Brighton earlier this month.

“Everton can confirm the club has activated the option to extend Abdoulaye Doucoure’s contract until the end of June 2024,” read a club statement.

Roberto De Zerbi believes Moises Caicedo and Alexis Mac Allister “deserve to play in another level” but hopes European football can convince the in-demand duo to stick with Brighton.

Ecuador international Caicedo and Argentina World Cup winner Mac Allister continue to be heavily linked with summer transfers following standout seasons in Sussex.

Albion potentially strengthened their hopes of retaining two of their star performers by securing continental qualification with Sunday’s 3-1 Premier League win over relegated Southampton.

While De Zerbi feels that may prove persuasive, he does not wish to hamper the careers of the pair and concedes Wednesday evening’s match with Manchester City could be their final appearances in a Seagulls shirt at the Amex Stadium.

“It can be the last game but I don’t know,” said the Brighton head coach.

“They can have the possibility to change (clubs) because they deserve to play in another level.

“But now we can offer them the possibility to play in Europe because our level is bigger now. We can offer them one possibility more.”

Asked if a European place can make the difference, De Zerbi replied: “It can be. They can have more motivation. But they are very good guys.

“When I work, I think for myself, I think for my club but I think still for the players because the players have one career, one life and we can’t decide for them.

“I don’t know what Tony (Bloom, Brighton owner) can decide but if they want to leave, for myself, it’s right they leave.”

Albion will almost certainly finish sixth and be in the Europa League next term due to their goal difference being significantly better than Aston Villa’s but need one more point to banish any prospect of slipping into the Europa Conference League.

De Zerbi insists his side will not play for a draw against champions City as they attempt to cement their spot in the superior competition.

“The focus is to play seriously,” said the Italian, whose team conclude the campaign at Villa on Sunday.

“We want to play in the Europa League and to play in the Europa League we have to make another point.

“We can’t start the game to make one point. We have to think to win the game.

“We have a big, big, big target – bigger than Conference League because we expect Conference League.

“If we have the possibility to play in a more prestigious competition, we have to try it.”

City boss Pep Guardiola compared De Zerbi to a chef at a Michelin-starred restaurant ahead of the midweek clash on the south coast, while hailing him as one of the most influential managers of the last 20 years.

De Zerbi reciprocates that respect and praised the Spaniard for aiding his transition to life in England.

“I can’t forget that before I arrived here, I received his call and he helped me a lot in the first period,” De Zerbi said of Guardiola. “He was very nice with me.

“I can’t explain Guardiola. My opinion is he is the best coach in the Premier League and the best coach in the last 30 years. It’s my opinion but I think a lot of people think like me.”

Meanwhile, De Zerbi backed Seagulls captain Lewis Dunk for an international recall.

England boss Gareth Southgate will on Wednesday name his squad for next month’s Euro 2024 qualifiers against Malta and North Macedonia.

“He deserves to play in the national team,” De Zerbi said of defender Dunk, who won his only international cap in 2018.

“It’s not my work to decide the players of the national team but for us it should be a target. I hope he can play in the national team.”

Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola expects an inevitable drop off in intensity from his players now the Premier League has been retained but warned them that major challenges still lie in wait.

A fifth title in six years was attained following Arsenal’s defeat at Nottingham Forest on Saturday, which essentially gave City three ‘free’ games until the end of the domestic campaign.

They have already dispensed with Chelsea and Brighton follow on Wednesday before Brentford on the final day, but the bigger picture is the FA Cup final against Manchester United and the Champions League final against Inter Milan.

“They have the party after the (Chelsea) game. I don’t know how they feel,” said Guardiola.

“They have to be ready to run a lot. The best way to prepare for the final is be ready. The players set the standards, they have to maintain it.

“It’s normal the energy would drop. Arsenal play for just the Premier League, we have FA Cup, Champions League, the energy we spend is massive.

“It’s normal you drop, you have to avoid it or don’t drop much otherwise the two teams (Brighton and Brentford) can hurt us.

“Play our game, adapt the way we play, arrive to United and Inter in the best condition possible.”

Guardiola has plenty of options at his disposal in terms of being able to keep his players fresh, so there should be no excuse for a huge drop off in performance.

Against Chelsea he made nine changes, allowing him to be able to bring on the likes of 52-goal striker Erling Haaland, playmaker Kevin De Bruyne, Rodri and John Stones while not even using Jack Grealish or the in-form Ilkay Gundogan.

That meant a first Premier League start for Kalvin Phillips, who has had a difficult debut season since arriving from Leeds for £42million.

Guardiola insists all his squad still have a part to play.

“Everyone can have influence, sometimes five minutes is as important as the rest,” he added.

“Everyone has been important, everyone has been involved in the fact we are where we are.”

The City boss, however, remains wary of Brighton, who are riding the crest of a wave having qualified for Europe for the first time in their history.

Guardiola is a huge fan of the work done by Roberto De Zerbi since taking over from Graham Potter.

“Congratulations for Brighton for this incredible achievement for the Europa League,” he said.

“Pay attention to what I’m going to say. I’m pretty convinced I’m right in what I’m saying: I think Roberto is one of the most influential managers in the last 20 years.

“There is no team playing the way they play, it’s unique. I have the feeling when he arrived the impact he would have in the Premier League would be great – I didn’t expect them to do it in this short space of time.

“If you don’t play at a high level he can do whatever he wants against you. They deserve completely the compliments and the success they have, one of the teams I try to learn a lot from.

“Brighton is the master of passing the ball to the man free, but also when to pass to the free man.

“They move at the right time, this is the best at the world, for the right tempo and the free man.”

Arsenal forward Bukayo Saka has signed a new long-term contract.

The 21-year-old England international has scored 14 goals in all competitions this season as well as providing 11 assists.

Saka told the club website: “I’m just really happy. There’s been a lot of talking and it’s been a while, but I’m here now. I think this is the right club, the right place to make the next step. It’s a beautiful club – look where we are.

“For me, it’s about achieving my personal ambitions – how much I push myself and demand from myself each game, week in, week out. Then I have all the right people around me in terms of family, and when I come to the training ground, my team-mates, the coaching staff.

“I think I have everything I need to become the best player I can be, and that’s why I’m happy to stay here and be here for the future, because I really believe that we can achieve big things.”

Saka made his Gunners debut in November 2018 and has made 178 appearances in red and white.

He added: “I have seen a lot of change. I’ve seen this team and the club grow, and one thing that everyone around us can be excited about is that we are going in the right direction.

“Time is on our side. You can look at our team and a lot of the players are young. We’re hungry, and a lot of us haven’t won trophies at Arsenal so we want to achieve big things. If you watch the way we all speak, we want to win and we want to win here.

“It’s been too long since this club has had Champions League football. I’m really looking forward to Tuesday and Wednesday nights in this stadium, the atmosphere is going to be special.”

Saka joins goalkeeper Aaron Ramsdale in signing a new deal in the last few days.

Boss Mikel Arteta said: “It’s great for the club that Bukayo has extended his contract. Retaining our best young talents is key to our continued progress and Bukayo represents such an important part of our squad now and for the future.

“As well as being a fantastic talent, Bukayo is a special person, he’s loved by us all and he is a credit to himself and his family for the hard work and commitment they have all made to get to this level today.

“Together with our supporters, we’re so looking forward to enjoying Bukayo’s continued development with us in the years to come.”

The fight for Premier League survival reaches its climax on Sunday with three clubs still scrapping for their top-flight lives.

Two of Everton, Leicester and Leeds will join already-relegated Southampton in the Sky Bet Championship next season on what is set to be a dramatic final day of the campaign.

Here, the PA news agency takes a look at what each club needs to happen if they are to avoid the drop.

Everton

Opposition: Bournemouth (h)

Position: 17th

Points: 33

Goal difference: -24

The equation is simple for the Toffees: win and their fears are over regardless of what happens elsewhere. Anything less could prove fatal.

A draw would open the door for Leicester to leapfrog them on goal difference with a win, while Leeds could also overhaul them on goals scored with victory by three or more.

However, Everton would be safe even in defeat if both the Foxes and Leeds failed to win.

Leicester

Opposition: West Ham (h)

Position: 18th

Points: 31

Goal difference: -18

Victory is the only option for Dean Smith’s men and even then, it might not prove enough.

Leicester also need Everton not to win – defeat for the Toffees would keep them up by a point, while a draw at Goodison would edge City to safety on goal difference.

Leeds

Opposition: Tottenham (h)

Position: 19th

Points: 31

Goal difference: -27

Like the Foxes, Leeds must win and even then, they would have to keep their fingers crossed that both Everton and Leicester did not.

In the event that Everton drew, they would need to make up three clear goals to leapfrog them.

At the same time, Sam Allardyce’s men would have to achieve an improbable goal swing – they head into the weekend nine worse off – to edge past Leicester if they managed to beat West Ham.

Leicester boss Dean Smith believes his side have piled the pressure onto Everton after seeing his team set up a dramatic final day of the Premier League season with a battling draw at high-flying Newcastle.

The 2016 champions will head into Sunday’s home clash with West Ham knowing even victory might not prove enough to keep them in the top-flight, but having piled the pressure on rivals Everton and Leeds.

If the Toffees win at home to Bournemouth, both City and Sam Allardyce’s side, who host Tottenham, will be relegated regardless of their results.

But a draw at Goodison Park coupled with a Leicester win would see the Foxes survive by virtue of goal difference and Smith believes they have put the heat on Everton.

“I think we have because if they draw and we win, we stay up. I did say it might be down to goal difference,” Smith said.

“But we’ve got a tough game against West Ham, who have just qualified for a European final and have got a very good manager who’s a friend of mine, David Moyes, who I have got a lot of respect for.

“He’ll make it, certainly, a really tough game for us. We hope now that we can get to the King Power and if fortunes go our way…

“We have taken it to the last game, we’ve made Everton have to win if we win ourselves.”

The need to win – something City have done on only eight occasions to date in the league this season – means there is no margin for error on Sunday with two points currently separating them from the final safe spot in the table.

However, Smith will not adopt a gung-ho approach to the task.

“No, because if you chuck everything, they have got good enough players – they’ve just qualified for a European final – that they could open some doors against us, and we can’t allow that,” Smith added.

“We have to make sure that we play a balanced performance to make sure we don’t give big chances away, but go and create some.”

It was a very different balance on Tyneside, where Smith admitted he had set up simply to avoid defeat by a team chasing and ultimately securing Champions League qualification, although the visitors might have emerged with three priceless points had Nick Pope not made his only save of the game to keep out Timothy Castagne’s stoppage-time volley.

“Have I gambled with Leicester’s future? No. I am a bit of a risk-taker, but that wasn’t a gamble,” Smith said when asked about his approach.

“If I came here and went at Newcastle, we could have been beaten four or five. It wasn’t a gamble.

“We kept a clean sheet, which was what we needed to do. We need to score, which we know we’ve got our problems with.”

Eddie Howe will target quality rather than quantity as he embarks upon a recruitment mission to equip Newcastle for the Champions League.

The Magpies booked a return to European club football’s biggest stage on Monday evening when a 0-0 draw against Premier League strugglers Leicester handed them the point they needed to be sure of a place in the top four.

That will place fresh demands on a squad which has been boosted by the injection of more than £250million since the club’s Saudi-backed owners took charge in October 2021, but head coach Howe insists there will be no wild spending as he once again looks for astute acquisitions.

He said: “We’ve got work to do, we’ve got work to do to be ready, we know that. There’s a big task ahead of us, but I’m confident we can do it.

“It’s going to be important for us, we have got to try to get it right and that’s going to underpin our success, really. I think we’ve been really, really good in the three transfer windows so far since I’ve been here.

“The challenge gets harder and more difficult because, now we’ve become a better team, there are fewer players who would make us better, so it’s going to be a big window for us.

“It won’t be huge numbers – I don’t think it can be. We don’t have the ability to spend the money that people will think we have, so we’re going to have to be smart.

“It will be a small group of players, but hopefully ones that can make the difference.”

Newcastle last played in the Champions League under Sir Bobby Robson in 2002/03, and repeating the feat was a long-term aim when Amanda Staveley and the consortium she put together completed their takeover, with relegation from the top flight a very real possibility.

That it has arrived so soon is testament not only to their financial backing, but to the expertise, attention to detail and intensity Howe and his staff have brought to their task and the ability and willingness of their players to answer every question they have been asked.

Howe said: “When I came here, creating history and trying to bring success to Newcastle was very much in our thoughts of what we hoped to do. Hopefully, this is the start for us.

“You never know what’s around the corner in football, but we’ll try to enjoy the achievement.

“We’re going into now an incredibly tough competition, but the best competition that you can be in, so I don’t think the achievement can be underestimated.

“It’s a very, very difficult thing to do. To break that monopoly of the top four is so tough, so I think it’s a massive achievement for us and we’ll look forward to what it brings.”

For those supporters old enough to remember, qualification will bring back memories of Faustino Asprilla’s famous hat-trick against Barcelona in 1997 and the Craig Bellamy goal which secured a dramatic victory over Feyenoord and a place in the second group stage five years later, and Howe is determined that his team will not simply make up the numbers this time around.

Asked about making an impression, he said: “Yes, of course, otherwise all the hard work and effort it’s taken to get there is, I wouldn’t say wasted, but you’ve wasted an opportunity to try to leave a mark and try to make a dent in a competition that is an amazing thing to be part of, so we want to be in it as long as we can.”

Newcastle have qualified for the Champions League for the third time in their history and the first in 20 years after securing a top-four Premier League finish.

Head coach Eddie Howe has joined an exclusive club alongside Kenny Dalglish, who guided the Magpies side he had inherited from Kevin Keegan into the competition for the first time in 1997, and Sir Bobby Robson, who matched his feat five years later.

Here, the PA news agency takes a look at how the club have fared on their previous encounters with Europe’s big boys.

If full-back John Beresford was the unlikely hero as the Magpies secured a 2-1 qualifying round first-leg victory over Croatia Zagreb with a place in the 1997-98 Champions League group stage at stake, it was Georgia international Temuri Ketsbaia who snatched the headlines in the return at the Maksimir Stadium when his strike in the last minute of extra-time secured a 2-2 draw on the night and a 4-3 aggregate win.

Dalglish’s men launched their Group C campaign in style when Faustino Asprilla scored a superb hat-trick in a stunning 3-2 victory over Barcelona, with Luis Enrique and Luis Figo on target for the visitors, but things went downhill from there.

A 2-2 draw with Dynamo Kiev in Ukraine was followed by back-to-back defeats at the hands of PSV Eindhoven and Michael Reiziger’s strike at the Nou Camp saw Barca – where Robson had been moved upstairs to make way for Louis Van Gaal – gain revenge before the adventure ended with a 2-0 home win over Dynamo.

Kieron Dyer’s expert finish in Sarajevo and a 4-0 home win in which Alan Shearer scored the final goal saw Newcastle ease past FK Zeljeznicar to reach the competition proper for the second time in 2002.

Dynamo Kiev ensured they got off to a disappointing start with a 2-0 away defeat and their hopes of emerging from Group E looked to be over when Feyenoord won 1-0 at St James’ Park before two Alessandro Del Piero goals handed Juventus a 2-0 victory in Turin.

However, Andy Griffin fired Robson’s side to victory over the Italians on Tyneside and Shearer’s penalty snatched a 2-1 win against the Ukrainians to set up a memorable night in Rotterdam on which Craig Bellamy struck late to claim a 3-2 win over Feyenoord and send his side through to the second group stage as the first side to make it after losing the first three games.

Their reward was a daunting draw which pitched them into battle with Inter Milan, Barcelona and Bayer Leverkusen, and their hopes were dealt a significant blow by a 4-1 home defeat by Inter in which Bellamy was sent off and Shearer later suspended on video evidence after a clash with Fabio Cannavaro.

A 3-1 defeat in Barcelona rubbed salt into the wound and although they beat Leverkusen home and away – with Shearer plundering a hat-trick on Tyneside – and drew 2-2 in Milan, Barca’s 2-0 win at St James’ meant the quarter-finals were beyond them.

Having finished third in the Premier League at the end of the 2002-03 season, Robson and his players were anticipating a second-successive crack at the Continent’s biggest and best, but after Nolberto Solano’s goal saw them return from Partizan Belgrade with a 1-0 win, they lost the home leg of their qualifying tie 1-0 and eventually went out on penalties.

Their consolation was a UEFA Cup run which was ended at the semi-final stage by Marseille striker Didier Drogba’s double.

Newcastle boss Eddie Howe has admitted Champions League qualification was not even in his thoughts as he embarked upon the new Premier League campaign.

The Magpies secured a top-four finish and a return to the big stage for the first time since the 2002-03 season with a 0-0 draw against Leicester on Monday evening to complete a remarkable turnaround.

They were in severe danger of relegation when Howe took the helm in November 2021 but will now rub shoulders with the continent’s elite next season.

A delighted Howe said: “This wasn’t in our sights at that moment. We had escaped relegation impressively, from the position we were in.

“We were hopeful of improving and staying away from danger and growing the team to a position where maybe we could compete for Europe in a couple of seasons, so we’ve shot ahead of schedule.

“With that comes big challenges for the future, but when you’re in these moments and there’s an opportunity of something like this, you have to take it.”

The club’s Saudi-backed owners have ploughed in excess of £250million in the squad since buying out Mike Ashley, but have received an earlier than anticipated return on their investment.

Newcastle reached the Carabao Cup final in February only to lose to Manchester United at Wembley, but were not to be denied a place at Europe’s top table.

Howe said: “The difficulty is there’s no trophy. It’s an amazing achievement, an amazing thing in terms of where we’ve come from in such a short space of time.

“But it feels difficult to celebrate it like you’ve won a league or something like that. It’s right up there, of course it is. It’s an amazing thing at a very special club.

Asked how he would celebrate, Howe added with a smile: “I don’t know how I’ll celebrate. I’ll wait and see. I hope it’s not with a tea and a biscuit.”

St James’ Park was bouncing at the final whistle and Howe, his staff and players performed a lap of honour, although the mood in the Leicester camp was very different.

The Foxes remain two points adrift of safety, although victory over West Ham on Saturday coupled with a draw for Everton at home to Bournemouth would keep them up on goal difference.

They did not muster a shot until stoppage time, when Magpies goalkeeper Nick Pope kept out Timothy Castagne’s volley to deny them a priceless victory, but boss Dean Smith was defiant over his safety-first approach.

Smith said: “I make no apologies for the way we set up today. We haven’t kept a clean sheet for too long and the reason we are where we are is because of that in my opinion.

“My mind was made up when I watched Newcastle play Brighton on Thursday, one of the best footballing teams in the Premier League this year, Brighton, and in that first 20, 25 minutes, they steamrollered them.

“We had to keep a clean sheet and hope, because we had to make sacrifices with our team sheet today and hope then we were still in the game.

“It almost worked exactly to plan, but the goalkeeper made a really good save in the 90th minute, which was our only shot, I think.

“If it’s too little, too late, who knows? But we’ve taken it to Sunday now.”