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Newcastle United are currently gearing up for what is not only a vital game in their season, but also one of their most important meetings for decades, with the Magpies set to take on Manchester United in the League Cup final on Sunday.

Amid the bubbling anticipation among both players and supporters ahead of that long-awaited return to Wembley, one man who will not be taking part in the weekend’s showpiece showdown is peripheral figure, Ryan Fraser, with the Scotland international having been frozen out by manager Eddie Howe.

As the Daily Mail’s Craig Hope revealed earlier this week, the 28-year-old has been banished to the club’s U21 ranks, with it looking as if the former Bournemouth man will not return to the senior set-up between now and the end of the season.

The 26-cap speedster – who arrived at St James’ Park on a free transfer from the Cherries in 2020 – had been heavily linked with an exit during the January transfer window, with Howe and co having seemingly been open to letting the winger depart.

While the former Ipswich Town forward ultimately remained on Tyneside beyond deadline day, it does appear that a summer departure is now an inevitability, with the £42k-per-week dud having not started a Premier League game since September.

That has led Howe to take the rather drastic action to demote the struggling asset, with it something of a bold call to make considering that the top-four hopefuls are not particularly blessed with regard to squad depth.

The exile of Fraser could, however, open the door for one of the club’s academy starlets to take his place in the first-team squad, with 20-year-old Amadou Diallo having no doubt staked his claim for a promotion of late.

How is Diallo getting on at Newcastle?

The eye-catching forward – who can operate on either flank – was snapped up by Newcastle back in October following a successful trial period at the club, having left former employers West Ham United in the summer following the expiry of his contract.

The promising Englishman had been “highly rated” by those at the London Stadium – according to The Guardian’s Jacob Steinberg – and had even been training with fellow Premier League side Chelsea last year, before ultimately opting to seal the move to Tyneside.

Speaking at the time of that capture, Magpies academy director Steve Harper had admitted he was “delighted” to have got the youngster through the door, with Diallo having also previously received glowing praise from West Ham youth coach Dmitri Halajko during his stint in the capital:

“Amadou is a tricky winger. He’s right-footed but he likes to play on the left, cutting inside to try and get goals and assists. He’s got flair in his game, but he’s also got a really hard-working aspect as well. He’s humble, quiet, but in a nice, confident way.”

Those qualities have been evident so far this season, with the former England youth international shaking off a slow start to the campaign to start each of the last four Premier League 2 games, having previously netted five goals and provided two assists in 25 games for the Irons at U21 level.

The fleet-footed starlet has clearly made an impression on Howe and co having been part of first-team training in recent times, with the aim now to make that step-up on a more regular basis – something that could be boosted by Fraser’s recent banishment.

President of the 49ers Enterprises, Paraag Marathe, was directly involved in Leeds United’s move for Javi Gracia, Phil Hay reports.

The Lowdown: Flexible contract

Gracia arrived at Elland Road last week and took charge of his first game against Southampton in the Premier League just days later.

The Spaniard guided the Whites to a 1-0 win to take them out of the relegation zone, with his current deal described as flexible.

Off the pitch, the 49ers appear to be planning to take control in Yorkshire from the summer, which has led to questions if they were involved in bringing Gracia to the club.

The Latest: Hay’s comments

Hay answered numerous Leeds-related questions in a mailbag for The Athletic on Friday, with one of those being on the 49ers and Gracia. One supporter asked if the 49ers were involved in the appointment, to which he said:

“They were. When Gracia pitched to the board and presented his ideas on the Sunday after the defeat at Everton, Paraag Marathe — Leeds’ vice-chairman and 49ers Enterprises president — was in the meeting.

“Various contacts have indicated that of all the people at Elland Road, Radrizzani was most convinced that Marsch had to be sacked (and Radrizzani first thought about a change after defeat to Aston Villa in January) but because of the setup in the boardroom and the pending takeover, virtually every major decision — on transfers, finances, head coaches — has to be taken by committee.

“Much of it directly affects the current and future value of the club. It was like that with Jack Harrison almost joining Leicester on deadline day. 49ers Enterprises was not convinced by the sense of that deal and it was scrapped at late notice after boardroom talks.”

The Verdict: Full-time contract?

Gracia’s sole focus is now on keeping Leeds in the top flight after a midweek exit from the FA Cup, and should he achieve that, you’d like to think he could be in line for a longer stay in Yorkshire.

He has the chance to catch the eye of the proposed new owners with positive displays on the pitch and has made a good start with two promising performances, making the Whites defensively compact while also being an attacking threat.

The 49ers were happy to go with Gracia after parting ways with Jesse Marsch, and come the summer, they may be in a position to extend his contract, providing every goes to plan in the next 14 games.

Journalist Harry De Cosemo would like to see Sean Longstaff handed the No 6 role for Newcastle United.

The Lowdown: Howe forced into changes

Once again, Eddie Howe is going to be forced into making at least one midfield change for a Premier League game.

Having had to cope without Bruno Guimaraes for three games in a row following his suspension, Joelinton is now set to miss the Magpies’ next two matches.

The Brazilian picked up his 10th yellow card of the campaign last weekend, which means he will miss games against Wolves and Nottingham Forest, which could see Joe Willock return to the fold.

However, it’s not just personnel that Howe may look to switch up, as Newcastle’s toothlessness in the final third needs addressing, and getting Guimaraes further forward could be something that is explored.

The Latest: Longstaff to unleash Guimaraes

Speaking on the True Faith podcast, De Cosemo admits he would be tempted to play Longstaff as a No 6, which would allow Guimaraes to dictate play further forward.

He said: “I would be tempted to try Longstaff there more than Joelinton, because I think Joelinton’s more effective in the [number] 8 [position] pushing forward and driving.

“I know exactly what you mean when it comes to Bruno, but I also think he offers that tempo that I don’t think anybody in the team can in that deep role. The sad thing is that he is the best midfielder Newcastle have got as a 6. Bruno as a 6 is the second-best midfielder Newcastle have, behind Bruno as an 8, and that’s just the sad reality at the moment.”

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The Verdict: Newcastle may regret January business

It’s a difficult task for Eddie Howe to try to get Newcastle back to their free-flowing best that saw them reach the dizzy heights of the top three before the World Cup, but that’s the current task at hand.

However, it could have been made a lot simpler for the Toon boss had he been backed sufficiently in the January transfer window. Heading into January, it was reported that central midfield was the priority position to improve, but the squad only got weaker as Jonjo Shelvey was sold.

Longstaff has certainly stepped up this season and started to rediscover some of the form that once saw him tipped for a big-money move away from the club, but his ‘outstanding’ performances may need to go up another level if he’s to thrive as a No 6 and relieve Guimaraes of some defensive duties.

Liverpool suffered a humiliating defeat at the Vitality Stadium yesterday in their Premier League clash with Bournemouth and Jurgen Klopp will surely be left frustrated following another unorganised and uninspiring performance from his side.

The Reds went into the game off the back of a monumental 7-0 victory at Anfield last weekend against bitter rivals Manchester United and supporters were hoping that the tenacious display would spark a much-needed turnaround in their inconsistent campaign, alas it was not meant to be.

Klopp’s formerly high-performing and unstoppable side found themselves completely outplayed by their opponents on their visit to the south coast and it was blatantly obvious that the midfield selection were completely out of their depth from the very start.

Liverpool’s young breakthrough stars Harvey Elliott and Stefan Bajcetic were deployed alongside Brazilian stalwart Fabinho in the starting set-up in the centre of the pitch, however, the German coach quickly realised he had made a huge mistake.

Both youthful prospects struggled to fend off the pressure applied by the Cherries which led to Elliott being hooked at half-time after being dribbled past four times and losing 100% of his duels over the first 45 minutes.

It was crystal clear that Liverpool sorely missed the dominant and controlled presence of Jordan Henderson in the heart of the team with a clear lack of leadership and a poor approach to the recovery needed following the first-half winner from Philip Billing.

Should Klopp unleash Jordan Henderson?

Indeed, the Liverpool captain has had his own struggles in some of his individual performances this season alongside many other key players who have failed to step up when it matters most this season.

However, there is no denying that Henderson offers sound leadership and eliminates the kind of uncharacteristic chaos that was caused for large periods of the game yesterday.

Over 23 league appearances this season, the 32-year-old has registered one assist, created three big chances and successfully completed 57% of his dribbles, as well as averaging 50.4 touches, 36.9 accurate passes and winning 1.6 duels per game.

Not only that, Henderson ranks in the top 10% of his positional peers across the top five European leagues for progressive passes whilst tallying up a 90% short pass completion rate, delivering 2.7 shot-creating actions per game and completing 102 ball recoveries in the Premier League so far, proving that he is a hard-working and consistent presence.

The Sunderland-born midfielder has no shortage of admirers praising him for his consistency and impact on the success Liverpool has seen since the arrival of Klopp, with journalist Henry Winter paying tribute to the player’s strong leadership skills on and off the pitch:

“He’s been a beacon of hope in dark times for the country, a nation craving real leadership.

“And he’s a winner on the pitch, too, helping end that 30-year wait for the title. Gerrard’s right. The captain’s armband, that symbol of taking responsibility, suits Henderson well.”

With that being said, it would be a no-brainer for Klopp to unleash Henderson over the remaining 12 league fixtures as he could be the guiding light that Liverpool desperately need to secure a Champions League qualifying spot for next season.

Journalist Dean Jones has revealed that Chelsea are potentially set to have talks in the next month with Atletico Madrid about turning the Joao Felix loan into a permanent transfer.

What's the latest on Joao Felix and Chelsea?

In the winter, as Todd Boehly splashed the cash on a number of exciting deals, he opened the chequebook to fund a move for the Portuguese star.

Indeed, the Blues forked out a reported £9.69m loan fee plus wages to sign Felix from Spanish outfit Atletico Madrid for the remained of the season.

Since then, the 23-year-old has shown glimpses of his star quality with two goals in his first nine outings and it seems as though he's done enough to have Chelsea considering a permanent deal in the summer.

Indeed, while speaking on Chasing Green Arrows, Jones explained: "For Chelsea, I know that they do plan to have talks reasonably soon, probably next month, with Atletico Madrid.

"Just to see like, 'okay, what is actually the situation we're looking at here? How much is it going to be? What are the terms? What are the conditions? When can we do it?'"

Do Chelsea have the option to sign Felix permanently?

Before leaving Atletico Madrid, the talented forward extended his contract with his parent club by a year, meaning his current deal won't expire until 2027.

What's more, the loan move doesn't actually include an obligation to buy, nor is there a fee set as a possible option to negotiate. However, in an interview with AS (via TalkSport), Felix was able to elaborate on the situation.

He said: “I feel very good at Chelsea, I like the club. There’s no option to buy in the contract, so if they want to keep me, they’ll have to find an agreement with Atlético.”

Felix joined Atletico in a €126m (£111m) deal from Benfica in 2019, so he won't come cheap. But seeing as Boehly has spent £566m since taking charge of the Blues, perhaps he'll be more than happy to splash the cash once more.

Seeing as Felix has started to find his rhythm in a Chelsea shirt recently, it might be hard to let him leave. After all, in the draw with Everton last weekend, he was handing an 8/10 player rating in the Evening Standard.

Journalist Dom Smith noted: "About as effective as any Chelsea player. Turned well, had the beating of Everton’s defence with his pace, and notched his second goal for the club with a precise finish early in the second half."

Newcastle United are making the increments requisite for success under the affluence of the Saudi-backed owners, with the Premier League outfit now distinguishing Roma marksman Tammy Abraham as a potential summer signing.

According to CBS Sports journalist Ben Jacobs, speaking on the NUFC Matters Podcast, the English striker would be open to a transfer to St. James's Park, having impressed during his time under Jose Mourinho's wing in Italy's capital.

Jacobs' comments follow a report from The Athletic that states that the towering attacker has a plethora of Premier League suitors after suffering an indifferent second campaign with I Giallorossi following exceptional feats in his debut season.

A prospective deal could be complicated by former club Chelsea's perpetual interest in the 25-year-old, with the Blues holding an €80m (£71m) buy-back clause in Abraham's contract after selling him for £34m in 2021 and currently lacking a prolific out-and-out centre-forward.

Should Howe ditch Wilson for Tammy Abraham?

Since signing for his Italian Serie A outfit, Abraham has plundered 34 goals and 11 assists across his two campaigns abroad, remarkably scoring 27 goals and serving five assists from 53 matches last season, integral in gleaning the UEFA Conference League having netted nine times from 13 games in the competition, proclaiming that Mourinho is turning him into a "monster".

This term, however, he has only landed seven successful strikes from 37 appearances, somewhat failing to emulate the feats of last year and consequently starting just one of the past four fixtures in the top-flight.

The 11-cap international boasts a wealth of experience, however, having triumphed in the 20/21 Champions League with Chelsea and scoring 30 goals from 82 total matches for the Blues.

As per Sofascore, the "goal machine" – as dubbed by former footballer Stephen Elliott – still averages 1.9 shots and 1.0 key passes per league match this year, illustrating the energetic robustness of his trade, and should Magpies technical director Dan Ashworth succeed in a bid, Howe could finally wave goodbye to Callum Wilson.

Wilson arrived on Tyneside for £20m from relegated Bournemouth in 2020, having scored 67 goals from 187 appearances for the Cherries, since scoring a respectable 27 goals from 63 divisional outings for his current outfit.

And while the 31-year-old has scored seven times in the Premier League this season, he has been subject to criticism, even being called "woeful" by reporter Luke Edwards for a recent subpar effort.

With Abraham younger, more vibrant and ostensibly more dynamic, he could be the perfect heir to Wilson's position in the squad, especially when considering his proven mettle in sniffing out silverware.

A number of Rangers fans have flocked to Twitter to express their delight as former manager Steven Gerrard upset a number of Celtic supporters during a recent charity match.

What did Steven Gerrard do in the Liverpool charity game?

With domestic football put on hold while the international break takes place, two teams consisting of club legends from Liverpool and Celtic met at Anfield on Saturday afternoon.

The aim was to raise money for the LFC Foundation and other charities, with the likes of Steve McManaman, Jerzy Dudek and Sami Hyypia involved for the Reds, while for the Bhoys, former stars such as skipper Stiliyan Petrov, Mikael Lustig, and Jan Vennegoor of Hesselink all took part, too.

To open the scoring at Anfield, Gerrard sent goalkeeper Artur Boruc the wrong way from 12 yards and then taunted the away end by celebrating in their corner – much to the anger of the Celtic faithful at Anfield, who even hurled a few bottles on the pitch for good measure (as seen in this clip).

The Liverpool legend understandably isn’t too well-liked by the rival set of supporters after his time with Rangers, where he managed to stop the Bhoys from winning a 10th successive Scottish Premiership title.

And he clearly provoked the worst from this set of supporters, who momentarily seemed to forget that they’d actually travelled to Liverpool to help raise money for charity.

While his eventual exit to Aston Villa may have disappointed many at Ibrox, it seems as though many will feel he has redeemed himself somewhat after these latest scenes.

Here are the best reactions on Twitter…

shows them no respect LOVE IT https://t.co/1O9LTWK8Rk— Jamie (@Jamie38402497) March 25, 2023

Despite Marcus Rashford scoring for fun for Manchester United this season, netting 27 goals in all competitions, the Old Trafford side are still waiting on a player who can take over from Cristiano Ronaldo as their true no.9.

The Portuguese forward’s acrimonious exit from the club last year has certainly helped them on the pitch, although Erik ten Hag has yet to find someone who can lead the line as well as Ronaldo.

During his second stint in Manchester, the 38-year-old scored 27 goals across all competitions and aside from Rashford, no other United player has more than ten goals this term, proving that the Dutchman urgently needs a centre-forward who can score 20-plus goals a season in order to take the side to the next level.

Ten Hag could save himself millions in the transfer market however by unleashing a youngster who is currently enjoying a wonderful scoring spree as of late – Manni Norkett.

Who is Manni Norkett?

The 18-year-old certainly has the potential to be the next big thing at Old Trafford, especially with his form in front of goal, while his former youth coach Garry Attwood even claimed he could be the “real deal” as he looks to break into the first team setup.

The teen prodigy emerged into prominence last season, scoring nine goals in 22 U18 Premier League matches, and he has nearly matched that number this term in ten fewer matches, grabbing eight goals from just 12 games, suggesting his confidence is improving.

Norkett hasn’t had much experience at the higher age group as yet, playing just a handful of games for the U21 side, but he is clearly one for the future judging by his record in the academy.

Journalist Shaun Connolly did praise the striker earlier this year by claiming he was one of the “notable names on the cusp of [the] first team” alongside the likes of Isak Hansen-Aarøen, Marc Jurado and Joe Hugill and United could be set to undergo another wonderful era which may be filled with youth talent.

The teen sensation still has a lot to learn and although his goal-scoring feats for the U18s has led to a lot of praise, with Tom Shaw – manager at Gainsborough for who Norkett played on loan last term – saying he is a “real prospect”, the real challenge will begin now as he looks to make regular appearances for the U21s.

If he can make the transition to the older group well and continue his rich vein of scoring, Ten Hag will surely give him an opportunity or two in the near future to showcase his talents in front of the Old Trafford crowd.

Crystal Palace are monitoring Sunderland forward Jack Clarke ahead of a potential move to the Premier League, according to journalist Alan Nixon.

Who is Jack Clarke?

Clarke is a promising young winger who currently plays his football at the Stadium of Light. The Black Cats ace initially joined Tony Mowbray’s side on loan in January 2022 from Tottenham Hotspur then made his move permanent later that summer after impressing in the northeast, as per Transfermarkt.

The Championship starlet’s contract therefore isn’t set to expire for another three years, but being his manager’s overall second best-performing player with a match rating of 7.05, has been attracting interest ahead of the upcoming window.

According to Nixon’s Patreon report (via Football League World), Crystal Palace are “keeping tabs” on Clarke ahead of the 2023/24 term. The Eagles were reportedly “keen” on a move for the 22-year-old during his time at Leeds United so have clearly been long-term admirers and are now weighing up an approach in the summer.

Roy Hodgson and his outfit, however, would only be “willing to step up their pursuit” if Wilfried Zaha was to leave at the end of the season. The Ivory Coast international has been “tabled” a new contract but has potential suitors queuing up to secure his services.

Could Clarke step into Zaha's shoes?

Clarke hasn’t got any proper experience in the Premier League having failed to make the breakthrough at Spurs so it could be seen as a risk throwing him in at the deep end, but whilst he’s still young, he’s got more than enough ability to step up and fill Zaha’s role at Palace.

The Black Cats forward has clocked up 19 goal contributions (ten goals and nine assists) in 42 appearances across all competitions this season where his individual impact has been recognised having received five man-of-the-match awards. The £15k-p/w talent has also whipped 85 crosses into the box and is averaging 1.5 key passes per game, showing that even if he’s not always on the scoresheet, he’s constantly looking to create chances for his fellow teammates (all statistics prior to the game vs Cardiff).

Clarke, who has been dubbed an “unreal” player by journalist Josh Bunting, is additionally comfortable operating in six different positions, including in midfield and on the wing on both the left and right flanks alongside at centre-forward, so he would be an all-round fantastic addition for Hodgson.

West Ham United striker Gianluca Scamacca will be ruled out for around two to three months with a knee injury, having recently undergone surgery, according to a report from Gazzetta Dello Sport.

What's the latest West Ham injury news?

West Ham have a few injury doubts heading into Thursday's Europa Conference League clash against Gent, with Nayef Aguerd currently being assessed for an ankle injury, which he recently sustained in training.

The Hammers may be a little light on options in defence, as Angelo Ogbonna is also struggling with a back injury, which meant he was not included in the squad that faced Arsenal on Sunday, with Kurt Zouma and Thilo Kehrer getting the nod instead.

Club insider ExWHUEmployee recently revealed that Scamacca could be out injured for a "couple of weeks", however a new update indicates the issue is a lot worse than first feared.

According to a report from Gazzetta Dello Sport, who relay a statement from Policlinico Gemelli hospital in Rome, the striker is set to be out for around two to three months after undergoing surgery for a knee injury.

The Italian will be unable to feature for West Ham for the remainder of the season, as he completes his rehabilitation period, and he is currently said to be 'progressing satisfactorily' following the operation.

Will West Ham miss Gianluca Scamacca?

David Moyes has raised concerns about the forward this season, claiming that his "physical data" was not good enough to merit regular game time, however he has managed to impress intermittently.

In 27 appearances in all competitions, the "superb" 24-year-old has weighed in with eight goals, scoring in his last Premier League start prior to his knee injury, in the 2-2 draw against Leeds United back in January.

Although he has not set the world alight in his first season at the London Stadium, the £90k-per-week marksman would be a nice option for Moyes to have at this stage of the season, particularly considering Danny Ings has struggled in front of goal in recent weeks, while Michail Antonio is without a goal in his last four Premier League games.

As such, it will be very disappointing news that Scamacca is unavailable for the remainder of the campaign, and the manager will be hoping that his current attacking options will be able to steer them clear of the relegation zone as we approach the end of the season.