Newcastle United transfer news: Magpies plot huge £47m raid for Germany star, Spurs eye AC Milan star
The Magpies head into the game fresh off the back of a 3-0 loss at home to Thomas Tuchel's Chelsea, and will be eager to finally get three points on the board and look to move out of the relegation zone.
Speaking ahead of the game, ex-football Trevor Sinclair gave his verdict on the club's decision to sack Steve Bruce, and said: “Why would you get rid of Steve Bruce, I know fans are going to pile in on me, if you haven’t got somebody lined up.
With the piracy rule which got dropped in the Kingdom, that seemed to happen overnight and I think it has caught the board by surprise and they’ve not got their ducks in a row.
“But, still, they listened to the fans and they listened to the media and they got rid of Steve Bruce.
“By the way, I saw him at the cricket in Dubai with his son Alex, he looks very relaxed and I’m pleased about that as he was in a bad situation, a horrendous situation that no one wants to be in.
“But Graeme Jones has gone in there, he can’t reinvent the wheel. You’re working with a group of players where you’ve got a bit of threat going forward but midfield wise and defensively, I don’t think they’re up to scratch to compete in the Premier League.”
Take a look at our round-up of today's biggest stories from the Premier League, as the top tier sides gear up for another high-octane weekend of action:
1. Isak keen on Premier League move
Arsenal-linked striker Alexander Isak has revealed he harbours ambitions of playing in the Premier League, as speculation continues over his future. The 22-year-old ace scored 17 La Liga goals for Real Sociedad last season. (Independent) Photo: ANDER GILLENEA
2. Matthaus makes Sancho claim
Ex-Germany star Lothar Matthaus has claimed Man Utd winger Jadon Sancho will be regretting his £75m move for Borussia Dortmund, after his lack of game time for the Red Devils saw him miss out on a place in the latest England squad. Matthaus described the move as a "mistake" (Sky Sports) Photo: Naomi Baker
3. Tosun could return to Besiktas
Besiktas are said to have already made an approach to re-sign former star striker Cenk Tosun from Everton in January. The Toffees flop has scored just nine Premier League goals for the club in 49 appearances, following a £27m move back in 2018. (Fotomac) Photo: Jan Kruger
4. Key duo back in England squad
Manchester United star Marcus Rashford has earned a recall the England squad, alongside Borussia Dortmund's Jude Bellingham. However, Rashford's Red Devils teammate Jadon Sancho missed out on a place, ahead of the Three Lions' clashes against Albania and San Marino. (BBC Sport) Photo: Neil Hall - Pool