Newcastle United

Image source, Reuters

Newcastle defender Dan Burn has conceded his form has not "hit the heights" of last season but is determined to prove his "doubters" wrong.

The 31-year-old, who helped the Magpies to fourth spot in the Premier League last season, has made 33 appearances across four different competitions for Newcastle this term.

Burn told BBC Sport: "It's been tough. You're playing against the best players in world. It's all about consistency at this level. When you're not playing [well] consistently, you come under criticism - that's what happens.

"I haven't hit the heights of last season but I've still enjoyed it. I still want to prove people wrong. I've had a lot of doubters, but I've had that in my full career. I want to work hard and make the improvements I need to make."

The Magpies, who are 10th in the table, return to Premier League action against West Ham on Saturday.

Eddie Howe's side still have ambitions of qualifying for Europe at the end of what Burn described as a "challenging" season, given their injury record and the extra demands of playing in the Champions League.

He added: "The amount of injuries... we didn't want to use it as an excuse, but the fact is we have had a lot. It was the first experience of European football for a lot of us. We needed the rest [of the international break], mentally as much as physically.

"We have always been pretty good coming back off an international break. We have been able to have a break, train on things we would like to and hopefully we can get a result against West Ham."

Newcastle return to action after the international break in 10th position in the Premier League, in a middle of a group of clubs still with genuine hopes of qualifying for Europe next season.

The Magpies host seventh-placed West Ham, who are four points ahead of Eddie Howe's side, on Saturday at 12:30 GMT.

BBC Radio Newcastle's Matthew Raisbeck told the Total Sport podcast: "I think there are possibly six or seven clubs, Newcastle and West Ham among them, who are trying to get into those final two or three European places. Newcastle do still have a great opportunity of returning to Europe next season, but I think they need to beat West Ham at home.

"If they can get back into Europe this season, after all of the challenges they've faced, after the highs of last year and with an acceptance from most observers and most fans that it was going to be more difficult this time - and it certainly has been - I would say that's still a highly successful season.

"It is far better than anything that pre-dated last year during the decade and a half of the Mike Ashley ownership, apart from the one season when they finished fifth.

"They can still get something great out of this season, but it needs to start with West Ham. Then it's Everton and Fulham. It's a good set of fixtures over the next week or so potentially, to really close the gap and get into the European places."

Listen to the full podcast on BBC Sounds

Newcastle United and Manchester City will rival Manchester United for the signing of Everton and England Under-21 centre-back Jarrad Brathwaite, 21. (Football Transfers), external

The Magpies also ran the rule over several Brazil players during their friendly against England last week, with Barcelona winger Raphinha, 27, and Juventus defender Gleison Bremer, 27, thought to be on their radar. (Newcastle Chronicle), external

Want more transfer stories? Read Friday's full gossip column

Pep Guardiola is "obsessed" by Newcastle midfielder Bruno Guimaraes, 26, but Manchester City would have to pay 100m euros (£85.7m) to sign the Brazil international. (Fichajes - in Spanish, external)

Arsenal have a 10-man shortlist for a new striker this summer with Newcastle's Alexander Isak, 24, among those being monitored. (Mirror), external

Want more transfer stories? Read Thursday's full gossip column

Here are the key facts and figures before Saturday's Premier League fixture between Newcastle and West Ham.

• Newcastle have lost just one of their past nine Premier League meetings with West Ham, a 4-2 home defeat in August 2021.

• However, West Ham have lost just one of their past five Premier League games at Newcastle, going down 3-2 in April 2021.

• The Magpies have picked up 73% of their points in the league this season at St James' Park, with only Fulham (74%) having a higher home ratio.

• Newcastle are one of three sides - along with Manchester City and Tottenham - to have scored in all of their Premier League home games this season, while the Magpies have also kept a league-high seven clean sheets at home.

• Only the bottom two sides - Sheffield United (12) and Burnley (11) - are on a longer run without a clean sheet in the Premier League this season than West Ham's nine.

• No player has created more chances from set-plays in the Premier League this season than Hammers midfielder James Ward-Prowse (37, level with Alfie Doughty of Luton Town), while he has league-high six assists from set-pieces.

Image source, Getty Images

On the latest episode of Match of the Day: Top 10, Alan Shearer and Micah Richards waxed lyrical about German midfielder Dietmar Hamann, who played in the Premier League for Liverpool, as well as with Shearer at Newcastle United and Richards at Manchester City.

"We used to call him 'Der Kaiser' at City. What a character he is," said Richards.

"When I was a youngster coming through, we used to stay at the Radisson in Manchester. There was a German market and he used to call me to his room.

"I was thinking: 'It's a senior pro, he wants to give me some advice.' He says: 'Run to the German market and go and get me some sausages.'

"I didn't mind going for 'Der Kaiser'. He is a top, top bloke."

Shearer added: "Yeah he was a good player. Great lad. Great for the dressing room.

"He didn't mind everyone taking the mick out of him and gave a little bit back. But he was really good fun.

"He could strike a ball."

Find out the full countdown of the top 10 Germans to play in the Premier League by watching on BBC iPlayer or listening on BBC Sounds

Arsenal appear to have received a boost to their chances of signing Newcastle's Sweden striker Alexander Isak after the 24-year-old admitted "things can happen" in the transfer window. (Mail), external

Want more transfer stories? Read Wednesday's full gossip column

Matty Renton
Fan writer

It has not been the season most Newcastle United fans had hoped for, but with 10 games to go, Eddie Howe's side can still push for European qualification.

This campaign has felt like a curse, one in which many things have not gone right all season.

Here are three things that need to happen between now and the end of 2023-24:

No more injuries (please)

This is off the back of key central defender Sven Botman being ruled out for up to nine months. You could not write it. Just when you thought the unprecedented injury crisis was coming to an end, the Magpies star defender needs surgery on an ACL injury.

Surely that has got to be the last of the long-term injuries this season at the Toon? I am starting to think the training pitches must have been built on ancient burial grounds.

Keep destiny in our hands

Our upcoming fixture against West Ham at home is a massive one. Beat the Hammers and we will narrow that gap from 10th to seventh to one point. It is a pivotal moment in the season to stake our claim in the race for European football.

It will not be the glitz and glamour of Champions League, but it is paramount the club remains in some form of European competition.

Beat the teams around us with favourable, winnable fixtures remaining. Job done.

Sort out the leaky defence

Our fast track to the top four last season was built on the solid defence. This year has been the polar opposite - conceding goals for fun and looking constantly vulnerable.

This problem may have become more difficult with Botman ruled out, although it gives a chance for club captain Jamaal Lascelles to step in.

Hopefully we see the return of Nick Pope as soon as possible too. The England goalkeeper has been a gigantic miss that looks to have had a knock-on effect on the whole backline.

Matty Renton can be found on The Magpie Channel TV, external

BBC Sport pundit Michael Brown will be answering your questions, giving his insight and opinion around your club.

So what would you like to ask the former Premier League midfielder?

How does the rest of your season look? Who has been your best player? What does the manager's future hold?

Let us know what you want answered by sending in your questions here

BBC Sport's chief football writer Phil McNulty has been taking your questions on the Premier League and those players on international duty.

Tom asked: Why didn't Gareth Southgate call up Tino Livramento? He plays at right-back (and regularly at the moment). Rico Lewis hasn't been playing all that much this season. Again, Southgate is picking players that just don't have the minutes this season, either through injury or just being out of favour at club level.

Phil replied: I really like Livramento and have been very impressed with him this season. I think he would have been a good selection but Southgate has decided to look elsewhere on this occasion.

England have been pretty well blessed at right-back but suddenly there are injuries to Kyle Walker, Trent Alexander-Arnold, Kieran Tripper and Reece James so yes, I think you make a very good point about a player who has a future as a full England international.

Read more of the Q&A with McNulty

We asked you what the most irritating thing at your club has been this season, whether it be inconsistency, injuries or a player failing to deliver.

Here are some of your replies:

Ryan: Sheer lack of consistency. The injuries have obviously greatly affected us this season but, despite that, we’ve shown we’re capable of some great performances this season. But week to week, you never know which Newcastle United are going to turn up, and it’s ultimately looking like that will cost us.

David: My biggest gripe so far this season is all the moaners and negativity. We massively overachieved last season. Injuries and a squad that isn’t quite at the level we need, coupled with FFP restrictions are biting hard. When you’ve been supporting Newcastle as long as I have stay the course. Consistency around the top six awaits.

Image source, Getty Images

Newcastle United winger Anthony Gordon described his senior England debut against Brazil as "the best day of my life".

The 23-year-old, who was named player of the tournament as England won the Under-21 European Championship last year, is now hoping for another opportunity from manager Gareth Southgate in Tuesday's friendly against Belgium.

"I am quite hard on myself so I wanted to score and win. If I think like that, I can't do myself any harm," said Gordon.

"I know I played well but I hope for more. It was not quite how I envisaged it, but it is still an amazing day for me and I relished every minute of it.

"I have got a taste now so I want more."

"Gareth was really pleased for me. I think he was happy with my performance which is always a good thing."

"It was chaotic when I came off [against Chelsea on 11 March] and I didn't know what was going to happen. Everything was up in the air.

"But I was really fortunate to miss out on any injury and I got to live the best day of my life."

Did you know?

• Gordon became the first player to make his debut for England while playing for Newcastle since Andy Carroll in November 2010.

Liverpool, Manchester City and Chelsea have all been given a boost in their pursuit of Newcastle United midfielder Bruno Guimaraes, with the 26-year-old admitting he has "other goals". (Team Talk), external

Meanwhile, Benfica's Rui Pedro Braz is high on a list of potential successors to take over from Dan Ashworth as Newcastle's sporting director. (Times - subscription required), external

Want more transfer stories? Read Monday's full gossip column

BBC Radio Newcastle commentator Matthew Raisbeck gave his thoughts on Sven Botman's costly knee injury on the Total Sport podcast and questioned the decision not to operate when the problem first came to light: "Sven Botman is one of Newcastle's biggest and best players and since coming back from an initial injury, he hasn't looked the same.

"He doesn't move like the Sven Botman of last season was moving and now he's going to be out for between six to nine months which will obviously take him out of the remainder of this season and probably the first half of next season.

"We may not even see him until 2025. It's another ACL injury, that's the anterior cruciate ligament injury in the knee, it's one of the most serious injuries that any footballer or sportsman can get.

"But it's the second time this season that Botman has had an ACL injury. The first one was in September and he played on, he admitted later, for a couple of matches, without realising that he had damaged the ACL.

"Newcastle then looked at their treatment options with Botman and they decided that he would rest, it would be a non-surgical rehabilitation period, I think the club described it as this week when they announced news of the latest injury.

"He came back in December. He played 16 times between December and March but he's sustained damage to the ACL in the FA Cup quarter-final against Manchester City. He's going to need surgery and he's going to have that next week.

"Six to nine months is the estimate, that's quite a big window. With it being a second ACL injury, we think it's the same knee, so a question to ask would be why didn't they just operate in the first place because he would be six months into his recovery right now possibly ready to return for the start of next season? It does feel like Newcastle maybe need to address this and they need to explain the process and why they didn't elect for surgery in the first instance."

Listen to the full episode here

Newcastle have been monitoring Feyenoord and Netherlands defender Quilindschy Hartman, 22, as they look to boost their left-back options. (Football Transfers, external)

Want more transfer news? Read Friday's full gossip column

We asked for your thoughts on the injury to Sven Botman after it was confirmed the defender would be sidelined for six to nine months.

Here are some of your responses:

Paul: This is terrible but he's not the only one that has played while not ready, not fully recovered, not fully fit or still suffering from muscle fatigue. These are some of the reasons, I believe, why so many injuries have happened. Stop taking these risks. Physios - don't crumble under pressure from management!

The White Feather: An average, expensive player with a horrendous injury record. Waste of money in my opinion.

David: I agree with John Anderson. Botman was a colossus last season but since December he has not been the player he was. It was obvious he'd returned too early as he'd lost his pace and confidence on the ball. I wish him all the best for the future as he is a quality player.

Alan: There has to be a common reason for so many injuries. Is it the training? Or the type of playing style? The amount of injuries this season have been ridiculous.

Ed: Lack of recruitment resulting in a paper-thin squad. So the continuous raining blows of injury-upon-injury, betting scandal, etc, have crippled our squad. Those who have managed to stay fit must be totally shattered!

Image source, Getty Images

Former Newcastle defender John Anderson says the "gamble" of Sven Botman not getting surgery initially after injuring his knee "has backfired" after the Netherlands international was ruled out for six to nine months, external.

Botman first injured his knee in September but the club and player decided to opt for rest rather than surgery that would have ruled him out for a sustained period.

"A huge blow, for the length of time as well," Anderson told BBC Radio Newcastle's Matthew Raisbeck.

"They took a gamble that he wouldn't need surgery and you would say that gamble has backfired.

"He hasn't looked right for quite a while, he hasn't looked the same assured player.

"He looks like he's running in quicksand, there's no movement there at all. The way he turned wasn't right.

"It's a gamble that they took hoping that he wouldn't need surgery but it's backfired and bit him on the backside."

Central defender Botman returned to action in December 2023 after two months out after completing a non-surgical rehabilitation plan and Anderson believes looking back this was the wrong decision.

"Hindsight's a wonderful thing in these situations," he added.

"I found it amazing when he came out and made that statement that he's seen different specialists and he was getting different opinions over whether he needed surgery or rest would heal it.

"It looks like the rest hasn't done it because he was out for quite a while."

• How do you feel about Botman's injury? Tell us here

Newcastle boss Eddie Howe, former Chelsea manager Graham Potter and Wolves' Gary O'Neil could all be in the running for the England job if Gareth Southgate leaves for Manchester United. (Mirror, external)

Want more transfer news? Read Thursday's full gossip column