Crystal Palace

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Crystal Palace co-owner John Textor is the club's biggest shareholder and his Eagle Football Holdings has about a 45% stake in the Premier League outfit.

His company also has majority stakes in French giants Lyon, Brazil's Botafogo, Belgian top-flight club RWD Molenbeek and US academy side FC Florida.

Palace recently appointed new manager Oliver Glasner to replace Roy Hodgson amid supporters displaying frustration with the way the club is being run.

In a rare and revealing interview, Textor spoke to BBC Sport's Alex Howell about his love of Palace, fan protests, his relationship with chairman Steve Parish, why he admires Glasner, and multi-club ownership models.

You can read the full interview here.

BBC Sport football expert Chris Sutton is making predictions for all 380 Premier League matches again this season, against a variety of guests.

For this weekend's games, he takes on Sam McTrusty and Ross McNae from rock band Twin Atlantic.

Here's what Sutton had to say about Saturday's clash between Newcastle and Wolves.

The more I see of Wolves, the more I can see why they are doing well. They are well organised and carry a threat, although Matheus Cunha's injury is a blow.

Like Gary O'Neil's side, Newcastle also reached the FA Cup quarter-finals in midweek - but they were a bit fortunate to get past my old team, Blackburn, on penalties, and their display underlined how they are not the force they were last season.

Just as I've been doing with Everton, I keep backing Newcastle at home but they haven't won any of their past four games at St James' Park.

That has to change if Eddie Howe is going to keep his job. I don't think he is on the verge of being sacked but he does need a strong end to the season to maintain that belief that he is the man to take them forward.

Of course he is striving to do that but, right now, they are 10th and miles off the kind of form they showed to crack the Champions League places last season, when Howe over-achieved.

Wherever they finish in the table, they need to get back to being the swashbuckling team they were earlier on in this campaign.

The more I think about it, the more I think Wolves will nick this but I am actually going to keep backing Newcastle, because the law of averages means they are going to win at St James' Park again sooner or later.

Sutton's prediction: 2-1

Sam's prediction: Wolves are a good side, who are in decent form while Newcastle just feel like they are on the edge. I have got a feeling there will be some goals in this one, with Newcastle edging it. 3-2

Ross's prediction: I am going to be boring and agree with you. 3-2

Read the rest of the predictions here.

• Newcastle have lost just one of their eight Premier League home games against Wolves, a 2-1 defeat in December 2018 under Rafael Benitez.
• The 17 previous Premier League meetings between Newcastle and Wolves have seen both sides score 16 times, with the only clean sheet in this fixture in the competition coming via the Magpies’ 1-0 win in April 2022.
• Of the 17 previous Premier League matches played between Newcastle and Wolves, 11 have been drawn (four Newcastle wins, two Wolves), the highest proportion of any fixture to be played 15 or more times in the competition (65%). The reverse fixture at Molineux this season finished 2-2.
• Wolves have won 11 Premier League games this season, already as many as they did in the whole of 2022-23. They have won six of their past nine in the competition, with only Manchester City and Liverpool winning more since the start of that run on 24 December
• Newcastle have conceded 23 goals in their past eight Premier League games, as many as they had in their previous 20. Only Brentford (24) have shipped more goals than the Magpies in the competition since Christmas.

Newcastle United

More from Newcastle manager Eddie Howe on the progress being shown by Alexander Isak, Joe Willock and Sven Botman following their return from injury: "Alex [Isak] will get there with every game he plays. He has had a groin problem three times now. Maybe with him it is a feeling - that he needs confidence in his body and physically with how he performs in the games. These two games [he has had, against Arsenal and Blackburn] have been really good to help him feel his body getting stronger. I like to think he will improve with every game.

"With Joe [Willock], we are trying to nurse him back to full fitness. That will be difficult considering the time he has been out, but when you have seen him in the last two games, you have seen his quality and what we have missed."

On Botman being left out of the FA Cup tie at Blackburn, Howe said: "Sven [Botman] is looking good, we just felt that he would benefit more from training than playing in midweek. We felt he needed more individual training to help him get back to full fitness."

Could we see him against Wolves?: "Yes, we could see him tomorrow."

Newcastle United

Newcastle manager Eddie Howe discussed the return to fitness of Elliot Anderson, Joe Willock, Alexander Isak and Sven Botman following injuries.

Anderson made a first appearance since October as a substitute in Newcastle's FA Cup victory over Blackburn on Tuesday.

"It wasn't quick from our side or Elliot's," said Howe after being asked if the midfielder had been rushed back. "It was a huge frustration for him that he hasn't be able to return to training sooner.

"With the type of [back] injury he had, we had to be careful, but when he eventually got back on the grass and stepped up his rehabilitation, he has felt good and looked fine. We are going to have to nurse him back and look after him because we want him to stay fit. He has been a huge miss because of his versatility, so it is great to have him back."

On the feeling within the squad as players started to return from injury: "At one point we only had 14 or 15 players in the training group, now we have just over 20, so the whole group has been lifted by that. The challenge now is to get them all back to fitness as quickly as possible."

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Newcastle United

More from Eddie Howe on Saturday's opponents Wolves, who earned a 2-2 draw at home to Newcastle in the reverse fixture: "They will bring a counter attacking threat. They have some good athletes in the team and play with a fluid style. I think Gary O'Neil has done a brilliant job, as he did last season [with previous club Bournemouth].

"Wolves are very good away from home - they have just beaten Chelsea and Tottenham - so they are a dangerous opponent for us.

"We had a tight game [against Wolves] away, but it was a game we could have won and we are confident going into the game on Saturday."

Newcastle United

Newcastle manager Eddie Howe was asked first about his side being drawn at defending champions Manchester City in the FA Cup quarter-finals.

Howe had said he was hoping for a "friendly" draw after winning at Blackburn on penalties in the fifth round, with the victors in the last eight assured of a trip to Wembley for the semi-finals.

The Magpies have already beaten City in the early rounds of the EFL Cup, and must now do it again to progress in the FA Cup.

"I was driving at the time [of the draw] and almost swerved across the road," said Howe.

"It wasn't the tie we wanted - nobody wants to play Manchester City four times in a season.

"But when you analyse it, I think you realise that to win the FA Cup you will probably have to beat Manchester City at some stage in the competition, we are just going to have to do that sooner that we would have hoped.

"We have to give it everything to try to win. It will be difficult, but we have to believe we can do it."

By most metrics, Paul Pogba had an extremely successful career.

He started his career at Manchester United before moving to Juventus, where he won Serie A in each of his first four seasons at the club - including two doubles.

He then returned to United for a world-record £89m in 2016. In his first season at United he won the Europa League and FA Cup.

Pogba, who won 91 caps for France, then helped Les Bleus to 2018 World Cup glory, scoring a goal in the final as they beat Croatia 4-2 in Russia.

In the two seasons either side of that World Cup, he had a hand in 38 Premier League goals for United (six goals and 10 assists in 2017-18 and 13 goals and nine assists in 2018-19).

But for a player who was tipped to be a legend, he never got close to a Ballon d'Or - and those two trophies in 2017 with United would prove to be the last two of his club career.

Injuries interrupted his final three seasons at United, with lack of form not helping either, and his return as a free agent to Juventus 18 months ago was meant to be a new start.

But more injuries, and then this ban when he was finally fit, mean he has only played 213 minutes for the Italian club.

"It was supposed to be a reunion telling a new story, a prodigal son returning to Juventus. This summer everyone thought this would be the year and he would do something special," said Rzouki.

"Both the club and the player wanted to write the story of the icon's triumphant return. Instead, we will be left wondering what will happen to a player who never quite fulfilled his true potential."

As mentioned earlier, it's a busy day on the news conference front.

Newcastle's Eddie Howe is addressing the media as I write this. Stay put for the top lines as the Magpies prepare to host Wolves on Saturday.

Gumbo74: I was wondering if anyone knows what the criteria is for winning the LFA Manager of the Year? Sure, Ange Postecoglou has improved the way Spurs play but a better year (he's only been Manager 7 months) than Mikel Arteta or the only London Manager to win a European trophy - David Moyes?

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The 2024 London Football Awards ceremony took place last night, let's have a look at who went home with an accolade.

Manager of the Year: Ange Postecoglou (Tottenham)

WSL Player of the Year: Lauren James (Chelsea)

Community Project of the Year: Sutton United Foundation

Goalkeeper of the Year: Guglielmo Vicario (Tottenham)

Premier League Player of the Year: Declan Rice (Arsenal)

Men's Young Player of the Year: Cole Palmer (Chelsea)

Women's Young Player of the Year: Aggie Beever-Jones (Chelsea)

English Football League Player of the Year: Alfie May (Charlton)

The Outstanding Contribution to Football: Harry Redknapp

LFA Goal of the Season: Michael Olise (Crystal Palace)

Power of Football Award – John Berylson (Millwall)

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Paul Pogba's career could be over after his four-year ban for doping with the feeling that the 30-year-old Juventus midfielder never fulfilled his potential.

The former Manchester United player, who won the World Cup with France, was supremely talented and in bursts looked an absolute world-beater - but he never really showed it on a consistent basis.

He has already said he will appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (Cas), but if that fails, by the time he will be eligible to play again - August 2027 - he will be 34 and without a club.

So it will be a big ask for a player who has not managed the equivalent of 22 full league games in a season since 2018-19 to stay fit and motivated for such a long period of time.

French football journalist Julien Laurens said on BBC Radio 5 Live's Euro Leagues show: "I remember seeing him as a 15-year-old and he was the best thing I've ever seen.

"He was so good, a generational talent, an absolute genius.

"He had a good career, he won four Serie A titles and the World Cup. It's a really good career. But he was so good that I thought there was no limit.

"I thought he'll get to the top, he'll win Ballons d'Or, he'll win more trophies and be the best player in the world.

"In the end we will always look back at his career and him probably the same way thinking what should have been."

Read more here.

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Juventus midfielder Paul Pogba says he is "sad, shocked and heartbroken" after being banned from football for four years for a doping offence.

The France international, 30, was provisionally suspended in September after a drugs test found elevated levels of testosterone in his system.

"Everything I have built in my professional career has been taken away from me," he said in a statement.

The former Manchester United player added he would appeal.

Pogba was randomly tested after Juventus' first match of the season on 20 August.

The positive test was confirmed by Italy's national anti-doping tribunal (Nado) in a second sample in October ,and the anti-doping prosecutor's office requested a four-year suspension.

Juventus told the BBC they received notification from the anti-doping tribunal on Thursday morning.

Pogba said he believed the verdict was "incorrect" and he would "never knowingly or deliberately" dope.

"When I am free of legal restrictions, the full story will become clear," he said, adding he would appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (Cas).

"As a professional athlete I would never do anything to enhance my performance by using banned substances and have never disrespected or cheated fellow athletes and supporters of any of the teams I have played for, or against."

Read more here.

We have had plenty of responses to those stories on Bruno Fernandes and Marcus Rashford and will publish a selection over the next hour.

Eddie Howe is coming up with his news conference to preview Saturday's Premier League game at home to Wolves.

But first, another talking point - Paul Pogba...

Premier League

For Manchester United and Manchester City fans eager to keep up with the latest news, views and analysis in the run up to Sunday's derby, you can access plenty more unique content on both clubs via the BBC Sports teams index.

Click on the club names using the above links to go straight to their dedicated page.

Looking for news on a different Premier League club? You can access the index by clicking on this link then the team of your choice.

Enjoy...

Manchester United, of course, are facing Manchester City at Etihad Stadium on Sunday.

We heard from United manager Erik ten Hag yesterday, while City boss Pep Guardiola is set to address the media later today.

For now, let's see what Manchester United fan Dale O’Donnell has to say on the local derby.

City have won six of the past eight games against United - how can United reverse that trend?

United have a nasty habit of allowing teams to run through their midfield and we concede far too many chances from counter-attacks. Ten Hag’s side will be in trouble if that happens on Sunday, so the midfield and defence must stay compact and disciplined throughout the game. In order to break the trend of City winning six of the past eight meetings between the two clubs, United need their star players to turn up. There’s no getting away from that.

Which club is this game more important to?

The Manchester derby means a lot to both clubs, but this particular meeting is definitely more important to United. Although nobody expects us to get a result at the Etihad, I believe City can afford to lose a few games here and there and still win the league. Ten Hag rightly said every game is a final from now until the end of the season. There’s no getting away from the fact United are playing catch-up and need to win football matches.

Where will the game be won?

City are going to win the midfield battle, like they always do. United need to ensure they are still in the game at half-time because the last thing we need against City is a repeat of the 2023 FA Cup final when Pep Guardiola’s side had the ball in David de Gea’s net after 13 seconds. I suspect the Reds will suffer without Rasmus Hojlund up front, though it’s time for Marcus Rashford to stand up and fight for United.

If you could take one City player, who would it be and why?

Most people will say Erling Haaland, or maybe Kevin de Bruyne, but every time I watch Julian Alvarez play I can’t help but think he’s another incredible player United missed the boat on.

Dale O’Donnell can be found on Stretty News, external