Gary Neville makes Eddie Howe claim as Mike Dean issues verdict on Newcastle United controversy

Newcastle United suffered another setback on New Year's Day when they were defeated 4-2 by Liverpool at Anfield. Eddie Howe's men are now as low as ninth in the table, four points off the top six, and sixth placed West Ham still have a game in-hand.

Attention now turns to a derby clash with Sunderland in the FA Cup, but the Magpies will head into that clash with a backdrop of concern for where their Premier League campaign is going. In the meantime, we have rounded up all the latest news surrounding St James' Park.

Neville on Ashworth

Gary Neville believes Howe will be concerned over the current situation surrounding sporting chief Dan Ashworth, who has been linked with a move away.

“You mentioned Dan Ashworth, I’ve thought a lot about this in the last couple of weeks,” he said. “That will be unnerving Eddie Howe and unnerving quite a lot of people at Newcastle because he’s a very calming presence. You’d think that he would have a big influence with the owners above. And I think if Eddie Howe is to come through this difficult period, you need a strong sporting director you’ve got the backing of.

“If Dan Ashworth’s head’s been turned, and people at [Manchester] United, the new owners have been getting into him about leaving, I think that could mean a more challenging period for Eddie Howe in these next few months.”

Dean on controversial moment

Former Premier League referee Mike Dean has weighed in on the Diogo Jota penalty decision against Newcastle on New Year's Day, with Martin Dubravka only slightly contacting the forward before he went down. “I think we’ve heard Stuart Attwell just then on VAR, well we have anyway, there’s clear contact by the left elbow of Dubravka on the foot of Jota,” Dean said on Sky Sports. “So, once he’s given the penalty it is hard to overturn.”