Here are your Newcastle United evening headlines for Tuesday, February 15.
Ferdinand makes bold Newcastle claim
Eddie Howe’s side took another huge step towards Premier League safety on Sunday as they made it three wins in a row with victory against Aston Villa.
It extended the gap between Newcastle and the relegation zone to four points and Kieran Trippier was, once again, the hero on Tyneside.
While he will not be available for a couple of months due to the fractured bone in his foot, his arrival has been the catalyst for the brilliant upturn in form and that hasn’t gone unnoticed.
Speaking on his ‘ Vibe with FIVE’ YouTube show, Rio Ferdinand was singing the praises of the England right-back whilst delivering his relegation verdict.
He said: “Wow, wow. What a signing Trippier has been, two goals, massive goals. Wow.
“I think the three teams now in the bottom three go down. That's it, Newcastle are out.
“Leeds and Brentford could get dragged in, but I think the three teams in the bottom three have got to win too many games and the others have to lose too many.”
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Newcastle planning Schar contract extension
Of all the defenders inherited by Howe at Newcastle, it seems Fabian Schar has impressed him the most as he has not missed a minute in the last five Premier League games.
His contract is due to expire in June, leaving the Magpies with a decision to make regarding his future at the club.
According to transfer expert Ekrem Konur on Twitter, the plan is for the Switzerland international to be offered a two-year extension between now and the end of the season.
Central defence is an area that the club are hoping to strengthen in the summer which may leave Schar to assess his options. He will be aware that his current place in the starting XI is very unlikely to be anywhere near secure come the start of next season.
Merson impressed by Newcastle turnaround
Like Ferdinand, Paul Merson has been full of praise for the improvement Newcastle have shown in the last few weeks.
The wins against Leeds, Everton and Aston Villa represented the Magpies’ first run of three consecutive Premier League victories for over three years, a feat made even more impressive by the perilous situation they were in.
Speaking in his weekly Sky Sports column, Merson said: “Credit where credit is due, winning three games on the trot is some going when you're virtually bottom of the league.
“If Arsenal did that, it's a result. If West Ham were to do that now, they've got every chance of playing Champions League football next year. The Premier League is hard, so to win three straight games is impressive.
“I'd like to know the last time a bottom three team won three on the trot at this stage of the season. It's a hard thing to do.
“Winning three on the trot has created a bit of a gap, but we've seen how things can change so quickly and there's a lot of matches still to play. If Newcastle only win one game between now and the end of the season, they're getting relegated.”
