Shields Gazette

Watch more of our videos on ShotsTV.com

and on Freeview 262 or Freely 565

Visit Shots! now

Tottenham Hotspur midfielder Rodrigo Bentancu has been hit with a ban from the Football Association - but is still at risk of a further suspension.

Newcastle United news: Headlines, team updates, match previews and reports - all things NUFC

Sign up

Thank you for signing up!

Did you know with a Digital Subscription to Shields Gazette, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more.

Submitting...

Bentancur has been hit with a seven-game ban after a controversial remark about his Spurs teammate Son Heung Min. In an interview on Uruguayan television, Bentancur suggested all South Korean people ‘look the same’.

On Canal 10, Bentancur was asked to display the shirt of a Spurs player, to which he replied (translated from Spanish): “Sonny’s? It could be Sonny’s cousin too as they all look the same.”

The 27-year-old quickly apologised and admitted it was ‘a very bad joke’. Bentancur’s apology was seemingly accepted by Son, who expressed his ‘love’ for the midfielder.

“I love him, I love him, there is no problem,” Son said when asked about Bentancur during a press conference.

The Uruguay international was hit by an FA charge back in September for ‘misconduct in relation to a media interview’. An independent regulatory commission panel have now found Bentancur guilty of an ‘aggravated breach’ of the rules and handed him a seven-match domestic ban over the festive period.

It will see Bentancur miss matches against Manchester City, Fulham, Bournemouth, Chelsea and Liverpool in the Premier League as well as Manchester United in the Carabao Cup. He will be able to play in the Europa League matches against Roma and Rangers.

Bentancur will be back available for the match against Nottingham Forest on Boxing Day. Just over a week after that, Spurs host Newcastle United in their first league match of 2025.

While Bentancur’s ban will be up by then, there is still a chance he could miss the match against Newcastle due to suspension. That is because Premier League rules state that any player who picks up five bookings before the 20th match of the league season will be handed a one-match ban.

As things stand, the match will be Spurs’ and Newcastle’s 20th game of the season so any player who picks up their fifth booking of the season in the game prior will be suspended for the match at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

With Bentancur on four bookings already this season, he must avoid picking up another booking on his return against Forest or the following match against Wolverhampton Wanderers in order to escape a further ban. Spurs defender Micky van de Ven is also at risk of suspension with four bookings to his name but will likely serve his ban before the Newcastle game.

After the 19th game of the season, the threshold for bookings moves to 10 after 32 games and a two-match ban. A player booked for the fifth time on the 19th game of the season is handed a one-match ban despite the cut-off.

Another player from Spurs at risk of suspension is Dejan Kulusevski, who has three bookings. Yves Bissouma, Brennan Johnson, James Maddison, Pedro Porro and Destiny Udogie each have two bookings and would need to pick up another three by the end of the Wolves match in order to be suspended.

Newcastle also have several players at risk of suspension in the coming weeks. Dan Burn will serve his five-yellow suspension next time out against West Ham United while Fabian Schar and Joelinton are just one booking away from a one-match ban.

Lewis Hall and Sandro Tonali have three yellow cards so far this season while Bruno Guimaraes and Sean Longstaff have two.

Watch more of our videos on ShotsTV.com

and on Freeview 262 or Freely 565

Visit Shots! now

David Ginola has opened up about his reluctant exit from Newcastle United in 1997.

Newcastle United news: Headlines, team updates, match previews and reports - all things NUFC

Sign up

Thank you for signing up!

Did you know with a Digital Subscription to Shields Gazette, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more.

Submitting...

Ginola made a dazzling impact on Tyneside after joining Newcastle from Paris Saint-Germain for £2.5million in 1995. 75 appearances, two second-place Premier League finishes and seven goals later, Ginola was sold to Tottenham Hotspur.

The move came about following Kevin Keegan’s exit and Kenny Dalglish’s appointment at St James’ Park. Ginola would continue to impress at Spurs, winning League Cup and the PFA Players’ Player of the Year during the 1998-99 season.

Reflecting on his Newcastle exit in a new book about ‘The Entertainers’, Ginola said: "I didn’t want to leave the club but when Kenny Dalglish took over from Kevin it was a shock and it just wasn’t the same anymore. I argued with Kenny and he didn’t play me much after that.

"He tried to get rid of all the foreign players Kevin signed. I was frustrated at the time and I said something in the newspapers that if things don’t change, I will have to leave.

“The following day we had a row. He told me I couldn’t go to the newspapers and say these things. I said, ‘You treat me like I’m having an affair with your wife.’

"He said, ‘How dare you talk to me like that.’ I said, ‘At least I’m talking. You never look at me or talk to me.’ He wasn’t the guy to take us to the top, as it was proved. He didn’t make the most of the players we had.

"Under Kevin, it was such a pleasure every day in training and every Saturday away and at St James’ Park, where the atmosphere was magnificent. I miss those days. One day, those happy days will return."

Ginola’s view that Dalglish wouldn’t take Newcastle ‘to the top’ was ultimately correct as he led the club to a 13th place finish in his first full season in charge. It was the first time The Magpies had failed to finish in the top six in the Premier League since being promoted in 1993.

Dalglish was dismissed after a winless start to the 1998-99 season.

Watch more of our videos on ShotsTV.com

and on Freeview 262 or Freely 565

Visit Shots! now

Newcastle United and Tottenham have joined the race to sign one of the Championship’s most highly-rated stars

Championship promotion hopefuls Middlesbrough are believed to be doing everything they possibly can to retain the services of Hayden Hackney amid reports of interest from Newcastle United and Tottenham Hotspur.

The England U21 international is enjoying a sensational season, which has seen him play every minute of his side’s 11 games in the Championship this campaign. The Redcar-born footballer is a defensive midfielder by trade that is renowned for his ability to read the game, control possession and create chances from deeper areas of the pitch.

Newcastle United news: Headlines, team updates, match previews and reports - all things NUFC

Sign up

Thank you for signing up!

Did you know with a Digital Subscription to Shields Gazette, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more.

Submitting...

However, this season he has also proved he is capable of chipping in with goals after scoring against both Stoke City and West Bromwich Albion.

“Hayden Hackney plays like his manager Michael Carrick – with or without Middlesbrough, he appears destined for the top,” said the Athletic’s Nancy Frostick.

Hackney has been a part of the Middlesbrough academy since the age of 10, and after a successful loan spell at Scunthorpe United was promoted to the first team shortly after Carrick’s appointment. Since the start of the 2022/23 season, he has racked up 64 Championship appearances while also notably being a part of the team which defied the odds to reach the Carabao Cup semi-final last term.

Hackney netted the winner against Chelsea in the first leg against the Blues last season in a 1-0 victory but was unable to help his team to victory in the second leg as they fell to a 6-1 defeat. The 22-year-old has long been considered one of the top midfielders in the Championship, who according to Give Me Sport has been earmarked by both Newcastle United and Tottenham Hotspur as a player that could easily make the jump up to the top-flight in the near future.

He is currently under contract until 2027 and is reportedly earning a salary of around £6,500 a week, which both Premier League club’s would easily be able to improve. However, Carrick insists the £25m rated youngster is not for sale. Give Me Sport adds that the Teeside club would be reluctant to losing one of their prized assets midway through the season.

Newcastle already have a stacked midfield containing Bruno Guimaraes, Lewis Miley, Joelinton, Sandro Tonali and Sean Longstaff. However, there has been talk in recent days claiming that the Newcastle coaching staff could consider offers for Joe Willock due to frustration with the 25-year-old’s recent form.

“He’s adding to his game all the time and he’s having a good spell at the moment, you can see that,” Carrick told The Yorkshire Post earlier this month. “That level of confidence and personality, he doesn’t say an awful lot but shows personality when he’s on the pitch. We are trying to help him, develop him and improve his level – as a midfielder it can be dangerous chasing goals and next opportunities, but that will come with good play. He got the decisions spot on and he arrived at the right time to get his goal off the back of good play.”

Watch more of our videos on ShotsTV.com

and on Freeview 262 or Freely 565

Visit Shots! now

One former Newcastle United assistant manager is reportedly on the brink of losing his current job.

A former Newcastle United coach has been told he has one game to save his job after his currently club made an abysmal start to the season.

Just over nine years have passed since former Valencia coach Ian Cathro was named as assistant manager by then-Magpies boss Steve McClaren after forging a strong reputation for himself during his time with the La Liga outfit. The Scot remained at St James Park when McClaren was replaced by Rafa Benitez but stepped into the lead role in the dugout in December 2016 when he accepted a position as head coach of Scottish Premiership club Hearts.

Newcastle United news: Headlines, team updates, match previews and reports - all things NUFC

Sign up

Thank you for signing up!

Did you know with a Digital Subscription to Shields Gazette, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more.

Submitting...

After an unsuccessful spell at Tynecastle, Cathro was reunited with former Valencia head coach Nuno Espirito Santo when he was named as first-team coach at Wolverhampton Wanderers before following the Portuguese boss to Tottenham Hotspur and Saudi Pro League club Al-Ittihad. However, Cathro struck out on his own once again when he landed a managerial role with Portuguese club Estoril during the summer.

Cathro’s new side scored just one goal in their opening four games of the season as they fell to defeats against Santa Clara and Vitoria Guimaraes before battling to goalless draws against Gil Vicente and Boavista. There seemed to be a positive upturn when Cathro earned the first win of his reign as a first-half goal from Joao Carvalho helped his side to a 1-0 home victory against Nacional and the former Magpies coach admitted there were still improvements to be made in the aftermath of the game.

He said: "Just like us, the fans also want to see us playing better, and that is what we always strive for – to play as well as possible and improve every day. There are moments in football when we must prioritize certain aspects. A victory in the early stages of the league is very important, and I prefer to value our understanding of the moment and the commitment of the players during the match. We can say it wasn't pretty, but we achieved our goal, which was to win."

However, a 2-2 draw at Cathro’s former club Rio Ave and consecutive defeats against Sporting CP and Farense have reportedly left the Scot at risk of losing his job after his side slipped to just one point and one place above the Primeira Liga relegation zone. Matters went from bad to worse for Cathro when his side laboured to a goalless draw in a Portuguese Cup tie with fourth tier club Lusitano Evora before being dumped out of the competition with a penalty shoot-out defeat.

Portuguese news outlet A Bola have now claimed the Estoril board of directors are now considering Cathro’s future and have suggested anything other than a win against Arouca this weekend would see the Scot’s short-lived managerial reign brought to an end.

Watch more of our videos on ShotsTV.com

and on Freeview 262 or Freely 565

Visit Shots! now

Mehrdad Ghodoussi and Newcastle United co-owner Jamie Reuben reunited at a charity event in London this week.

It comes after Ghodoussi left Newcastle alongside Amanda Staveley in July with their remaining share split between the Saudi Arabian Public Investment Fund and Reuben’s RB Sports & Media, who now hold a 15% stake in the club as a result.

The pair were in attendance at the Centrepoint Awards and Gala Dinner 2024 at the British Museum on Wednesday evening. Centrepoint is a charity aimed at tackling youth homelessness.

Newcastle United news: Headlines, team updates, match previews and reports - all things NUFC

Sign up

Thank you for signing up!

Did you know with a Digital Subscription to Shields Gazette, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more.

Submitting...

The charity’s patron since 2005, William, Prince of Wales, also attended the event along with several other high-profile figures.

During the event, Ghodoussi took to social media, tagging Reuben in a picture of musical artist Rag’n’Bone Man performing at the British Museum. Reuben is the co-chair of Centrepoint’s dynamic Growth Board and has helped open the ‘Reuben House’ - a development of 33 brand new flats for the charity. Following the departure of Staveley and Ghodoussi, Newcastle appointed South Shields-born property manager Roger Thornton to the club’s board. Thornton has strong links working with the Reuben family on developments across Newcastle.

Meanwhile, Staveley and Ghodoussi have been linked with a major investment in Premier League rivals Tottenham Hotspur. Ghodoussi was recently seen in the director’s box at Chelsea but has also been a VIP guest of Daniel Levy at Tottenham Hotspur.

Staveley has also been spotted in the VIP box at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in recent weeks.

And the former Newcastle co-owner has strongly suggested that she will be looking to invest in other football clubs.

“Very sadly, we have to move on to other projects and that might involve us taking a stake in another club or buying another club and that’s difficult,” she told The Athletic. “But it’s possible.”

Discussing the possibility of future investment in Spurs, chairman Levy said: “Some form of minority investment is what we're looking for. We've got nothing to announce at the moment but we are in the market."

Staveley is regarded as the driving force behind the Newcastle takeover that finally went through in October 2021. At the time, Spurs and Levy were understood to be one of the clubs very much against the takeover.

In the first full season after the takeover, Newcastle finished above Spurs for the first time since the 2003-04 campaign.

Watch more of our videos on ShotsTV.com

and on Freeview 262 or Freely 565

Visit Shots! now

Former Newcastle United co-owner Amanda Staveley has been linked with buying a stake in Tottenham Hotspur.

Staveley, along with her husband Mehrdad Ghodoussi, left Newcastle United during the summer after just-shy of three years at the club. After their departures were confirmed, Staveley revealed to the Athletic that they may return to football and look to buy a stake in another football club.

Newcastle United news: Headlines, team updates, match previews and reports - all things NUFC

Sign up

Thank you for signing up!

Did you know with a Digital Subscription to Shields Gazette, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more.

Submitting...

Staveley said: “Very sadly, we have to move on to other projects and that might involve us taking a stake in another club or buying another club and that’s difficult. But it’s possible.”

Staveley has since been linked with buying a stake in Tottenham Hotspur and the Sun report that should she be successful in purchasing a stake in the north London club, Spurs may look to Eddie Howe to become Ange Postecoglou’s long-term successor.

Postecoglou is currently in his second full season as Spurs boss, although there is nothing to suggest that his immediate future is under threat, despite seeing his side throw away a two goal lead at half-time against Brighton in their last outing. Howe, meanwhile, has entered his third full season as Newcastle United boss and is approaching the four-year anniversary of his appointment.

The former Bournemouth man is among the leading contenders to become England’s new permanent manager with Lee Carsley seemingly unlikely to turn his interim spell as manager into a permanent one. Howe is regarded as one of the FA’s preferred candidates along with former Chelsea duo Graham Potter and Thomas Tuchel.

Watch more of our videos on ShotsTV.com

and on Freeview 262 or Freely 565

Visit Shots! now

The 2024-25 Premier League table has been ‘officially’ predicted by Opta.

The Premier League’s official performance data analysts have published a projected final table for the 2024-25 campaign just five games into the new season. Newcastle United have picked up 10 points from their opening five games and sit sixth in the table, a position Opta have predicted the side to finish come May.

The Magpies finished seventh in the table last season despite numerous injury issues and have started the new season well in terms of results despite concerns over performance levels. Newcastle host Manchester City at St James’ Park on Saturday (12:30pm kick-off) with the current league leaders tipped to win the league title for a fifth successive season.

Newcastle United news: Headlines, team updates, match previews and reports - all things NUFC

Sign up

Thank you for signing up!

Did you know with a Digital Subscription to Shields Gazette, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more.

Submitting...

Opta’s prediction has Man City winning the league on 91 points, the same points total that won Pep Guardiola’s side the league last season. Arsenal and Liverpool are second and third with 81 and 77 points respectively while Chelsea completes the top four on 66 points.

Aston Villa are predicted to finish fifth, level on 62 points with Newcastle in sixth but with a superior goal difference. Tottenham Hotspur, Manchester United, Brighton and Fulham complete the top 10 in that order.

As for the relegation battle, Opta have predicted that all three newly-promoted sides will be relegated back to the Championship for a second successive season. Ipswich are tipped to put up the biggest fight against the drop with 34 points landing them 18th and two points from safety.

Leicester City are 19th with 33 points while Southampton are bottom of the table of 27 points.

Here is Opta’s predicted 2024-25 table in full...

Watch more of our videos on ShotsTV.com

and on Freeview 262 or Freely 565

Visit Shots! now

Two Newcastle United players are at risk of a Premier League suspension following the opening four games of the 2024-25 season.

Joelinton and Dan Burn both picked up their third bookings of the campaign already during Newcastle’s 2-1 win over Wolverhampton Wanderers on Sunday. It means the pair are just two more bookings away from a one-match suspension.

Premier League rules state that any player shown five bookings in the opening 19 league matches is banned for one match. Last season, Newcastle saw Bruno Guimaraes, Anthony Gordon and Kieran Trippier all pick up such suspensions.

Newcastle United news: Headlines, team updates, match previews and reports - all things NUFC

Sign up

Thank you for signing up!

Did you know with a Digital Subscription to Shields Gazette, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more.

Submitting...

Guimaraes was also one booking away from a two-match suspension during the second half of the campaign but managed to go 11 consecutive matches without a booking to avoid a ban.

Now, Joelinton and Burn must make it until matchday 20 without picking up two more bookings in order to avoid suspension. Newcastle’s 20th game of the Premier League season as things stand is away to Tottenham Hotspur on January 4, 2025.

During the 2022-23 season, Joelinton served a one-match ban for five bookings and a two-match ban for accumulating 10 yellow cards and now risks another ban this campaign. The Brazilian was booked against Wolves following a challenge in the first half prior to being withdrawn.

Burn was shown a yellow card in the second half of the same game following a foul and subsequent protest to referee Chris Kavanagh. The defender was also booked against Southampton and Wolves while Joelinton had now been booked in three consecutive matches having been shown yellow against Tottenham Hotspur and Bournemouth previously.

No player has been booked more than three times in the Premier League so far this season.

As things stand, no other Newcastle players are close to suspensions with Guimaraes, Lewis Hall, Lloyd Kelly, Sean Longstaff and Jacob Murphy all having one yellow card to their name so far this season. The rest of Newcastle’s squad are yet to receive a caution.

But there are still 15 games to play before the five-booking cut-off point. At that stage, the threshold moves to 10 bookings, 32 games and a two-match ban.

Any player shown 15 bookings over the course of the season is handed a three-match ban but no player has ever been cautioned that many times during a single Premier League campaign.

Watch more of our videos on ShotsTV.com

and on Freeview 262 or Freely 565

Visit Shots! now

Alan Shearer believes Eddie Howe has a major call to make ahead of Newcastle United’s clash with Fulham on Saturday.

The Magpies remain unbeaten in all competitions so far this season and have taken ten points from a possible twelve in the league to leave them in 3rd place. A win at Craven Cottage would see the Magpies end Saturday night top of the Premier League table.

Whilst it has been a good start results wise, their performances are still to hit top gear and were grateful for two stunning strikes by Harvey Barnes and Fabian Schar to earn them the win at Molineux. Howe that day opted to pick a front-three of Jacob Murphy, Alexander Isak and Anthony Gordon, with eventual match-winner Barnes dropping to the bench.

Newcastle United news: Headlines, team updates, match previews and reports - all things NUFC

Sign up

Thank you for signing up!

Did you know with a Digital Subscription to Shields Gazette, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more.

Submitting...

It was a surprising move from the head coach as he opted to change an attacking unit that all played a major role in the win over Tottenham Hotspur before the international break. Speaking on the Rest is Football podcast, however, Shearer believes Howe must select Barnes, Isak and Gordon against Fulham.

Asked which of the three would then play left-wing by Gary Lineker, Shearer replied: “Probably Gordon on the right. If Isak is going to be fit, I know Wilson has been injured and he hasn’t appeared this season as of yet, but probably Gordon on the right and Barnes on the left-hand side and Isak down the middle. That’s a really, really good front three.

“You've got Joe Willock who can play on that side as well. I mean, whether he plays in the front three, or as a midfielder left over three, then he's a real threat as well.

“I think he makes such a difference to Newcastle. If they can keep him fit, he will have a really good season.”

The Magpies have won on each of their last five visits to Craven Cottage, including both of their visits there last season in the FA Cup and Premier League. Barnes, meanwhile, is currently the club’s top scorer this season with Gordon, Isak, Joelinton, Schar and Willock all on one strike apiece.

Watch more of our videos on ShotsTV.com

and on Freeview 262 or Freely 565

Visit Shots! now

Newcastle United are among a clutch of clubs reportedly interested in signing one of Leeds United’s most promising young players.

Leeds United endured a tricky summer transfer window as they lost a whole host of first-team players. Crysencio Summerville joined West Ham, Georginio Rutter moved to Brighton whilst Archie Gray was sold to Tottenham Hotspur. Losing Summerville and Rutter, two of their best players the season previous, was a huge blow for Leeds, but it was the sale of academy product Gray that would have likely hurt the most.

The 18-year-old is a midfielder by trade, but played at full-back under Daniel Farke and made 52 appearances in all competitions last season. A move to the Premier League, particularly after Leeds’ failure to seal promotion back to the top-flight, seemed inevitable and despite Brentford coming close to landing his signature, it was Spurs who managed to sign Gray this summer.

Newcastle United news: Headlines, team updates, match previews and reports - all things NUFC

Sign up

Thank you for signing up!

Did you know with a Digital Subscription to Shields Gazette, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more.

Submitting...

Newcastle United had briefly been linked with a move for him and have now been credited with an interest in his younger brother Harry. Harry Gray, aged just 15, is a striker and has been linked with following his brother to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium - although Newcastle United have also reportedly shown interest in signing him, according to the Boot Room.

Chelsea, Arsenal and Liverpool have also been credited with an interest in the teenager, but it seems that Spurs are the frontrunners for a deal. Leeds United, meanwhile, sit 4th in the Championship and face promotion chasing Burnley this weekend.