Hello and welcome to the Newcastle United live blog for Friday, December 29.
Newcastle United are looking ahead to Saturday's clash with Brighton after falling to defeat to Manchester City in midweek and beating West Ham before Christmas to move away from the relegation zone.
Away from the pitch, Rafa Benitez is also continuing his search for new players ahead of next month's transfer window.
United have been linked with a whole host of names, while Benitez also has decisions to make on who he allows to leave the club.
We'll have the latest on the takeover and also January transfer rumours that are starting to stack up.
As ever we want to hear from you, so please send us your thoughts over Facebook at www.facebook.com/chroniclenufc/ or on Twitter at @ChronicleNUFC.
Key Events
Cenk Tosun to Everton?
If it is sealed then Big Sam Allardyce isn’t confirming it just yet.
It’s in the wind. There’s an interest obviously because we’re actively looking for a front man. But whether we are the ones to complete that deal or not, we will see. The interest from other clubs around Europe is our biggest worry if we are to secure that transfer.
Karl Darlow on playing for United
He’s the on the front of the programme for tomorrow’s game and has been speaking to the club’s website.
I try to enjoy it. It’s a massive concentration thing with a goalkeeper. You still enjoy it, just playing and being part of the team. I’ve worked so hard to get here, so while I’m here I might as well enjoy it, because it’s only a short career. I might not have ever played for Newcastle again, so while I’m here and when I play, it’s a big thing for me to enjoy my football and enjoy playing in front of 52,000 at St. James’.
Prediction time: Michael Owen
He’s going for a close game but sees United coming out on top!
Newcastle have lost five successive home league games whilst Brighton have lost their last four away games without scoring a goal – something has to give at St James’s Park. Seagulls boss Chris Hughton has won just one of his seven games against his former club and I expect the hosts to edge what is likely to be a tight, tense affair.
Rob Elliot OUT of tomorrow's game
Who will replace him? Freddie Woodman or Karl Darlow?
Gallery: A winter wonderland!
Players enjoy the snow!
Here’s Freddie Woodman.
Full story: Benitez on the criticism
The Spaniard has spoken about it.
Lee Ryder on Rafa Benitez's press conference
Rafa Benitez press conference: key points
These are the key points from Rafa Benitez’s press conference.
- He takes responsibility for the way his team set up against City but maintains they nearly got a ‘fantastic’ result
- Is very happy with the effort and response from the players following the West Ham game
- Does not want to talk about the January transfer window; just wants to concentrate on Brighton
- Feels that TV pundits ‘have to say something’
- Has great respect for Chris Hughton and feels like he is doing a good job at Brighton.
Difficult January to come?
Lee Ryder believes Cenk Tosun’s fee suggests so.
Did United miss out?
Or was it right the deal fizzled out?
Rafa Benitez press conference
Follow it live here.
Hughton looking forward to returning!
But we’ll have the three points
Gibbo's corner: The day Jackie Milburn died
A little snippet from our special podcast remembering the great Wor Jackie.
What we'll be asking Rafa Benitez
Plenty to talk about.
Well, there you have it!
Looks somewhat different!
Big Toon survey
Your player of the season
Transfer gossip: Loic Remy
Could he be set for a return to the Premier League? He’s currently at Las Palmas but manager Paco Jemez has confirmed he’ll be up for sale in January after arriving late for training. He’s scored six goals in 13 appearances.
Will Rafa change his tactics?
There was some criticism.
Lascelles on Manchester City
Negative approach?
We had a game plan and we stuck to it. We upset them and towards the end, in the last 20 minutes they were showing a little bit of anxiety and feeling the pressure. I thought we were pretty unlucky not to equalise.
These TWO must LEAVE
Spurs and Everton in for Jonjo Shelvey?
Bet Victor have placed both Everton and Spurs as top picks to sign Jonjo Shelvey this January. You can get 6/1 on it.
Lascelles: we must win
Jamaal Lascelles wants six points from Brighton and Stoke
They are two teams we need to beat because they are in the same zone as us and they need to win. We will be looking forward to those games and I am pretty sure we will have a different game plan against them.
Kenedy to Lokomotiv Moscow?
Reports from Brazilian media outlet Globo Esporte suggest that Kenedy could head to Russia this January with league leaders Lokomotiv Moscow hoping to pip Newcastle to his signature.
Ian Ladyman on Newcastle
From his column for the Mail Online
Newcastle manager Rafael Benitez does not deserve criticism for being pragmatic and negative against City. He is proving an important manager for the club and has a responsibility only to them. If Newcastle win a much bigger game against Brighton on Saturday, he will feel vindicated. But Benitez’s tactics were not common or wholly recognisable anyway. They were not reflective of a Premier League malaise and that is the point. There is nothing fundamentally wrong with defending, which is what many Premier League clubs set out to do in difficult games.
It is not easy. It is skillful and requires good coaching and dedicated players who are prepared to listen and do things that may not be enjoyable or natural.
Counter-attacking football is a legitimate tactic. It won Brian Clough one of his European Cups against Hamburg in 1980. That night in Madrid, centre forward Garry Birtles was so far from his team-mates it is a surprise Clough did not give him a loudhailer. So, let’s not be sniffy about this. If a coach instructs his team to trade punches with vastly superior opponents, he is not brave but stupid. Defending and soaking up pressure have been part of our game for years.
But on Wednesday at St James’ Park we saw something different. For well over an hour, Newcastle’s performance was so passive and meek that many in the stadium will never have seen anything like it from their team. Newcastle barely left their own half, nor tried to. That is not counter-attacking football, it is something else entirely.
Two years ago. . .
Toon legend Pavel Srnicek sadly passed away.
Mark Hughes on Ings link
The Stoke City boss didn’t rule it out.
I think there’s conversations about a lot of players. Some will be in regard to taking players on a permanent deal and there’s always loan deals that can be done. We are well aware of who’s available and who might become available, but nothing is definite as yet. It’s clear we need a little bit more help for the squad and a couple of extra bodies would help.
17 years ago. . .
Look at that!
Steve McClaren and SWFC. . .
It’s not happening say the Sheffield Star.
Former England manager Steve McClaren is not in the frame to take over at Sheffield Wednesday. The Star understands that talks had taken place between the two parties but sources at Hillsborough have now said that McClaren is not a contender to take over from Carlos Carvalhal.
Stat of the day. . .
Alan Shearer is right?