Newcastle United news: Mike Ashley tipped to make surprise Steve Bruce call; Magpies 'eye' Joe Willock extension; Double blow for West Ham?

Joe Willock’s 85th-minute equaliser eased some pressure on Steve Bruce as Aston Villa did their former boss a huge favour by beating Fulham, hours after the 0-0 draw at St James’s Park.

Mike Ashley has publicly backed the 60-year-old to keep the club in the top-flight however, former Newcastle icon Rob Lee is “sure” the Magpies owner will make a managerial change at the end of the campaign.

He told This Is Futbol: “A new manager would be very restricted in what they could do because they couldn’t bring in new players and could they motivate the players to keep Newcastle up?

“Newcastle are probably looking at it and Ashley will be thinking just get me to the end of the season.

"Wherever he’s bothered what division Newcastle are in or not, I’m not convinced, but I’m sure he’ll make a change at the end of the season.”

Newcastle ‘want’ to extend Joe Willock’s loan from Arsenal

Having impressed since walking through the door at Newcastle on January transfer deadline day, Bruce reportedly wants to extend the loan of Willock.

The 21-year-old joined from Arsenal for the remainder of the season and has scored two goals during his eight appearances since then.

Willock’s ability to play between both boxes and his late runs into the 18-yard area are two of his biggest attributes.

And according to the Daily Mirror, Bruce is keen to keep Willock on Tyneside next season but will only stand a chance of doing so if they retain their Premier League status.

Double injury blow for West Ham United?

Champions League-chasing West Ham United head to the North East in two weeks time with doubts over Declan Rice and Michail Antonio's fitness.

Rice is expected to be out for four weeks with a knee injury which would rule him out of the Newcastle encounter while Antonio departed Monday’s 3-2 win at Wolves with a hamstring problem.

Moyes said after the game: "He (Antonio) felt his hamstring, but he doesn't feel too bad now. We are not sure yet, we will assess it tomorrow, we will check it tomorrow and see what it is."

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