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Aston Villa are turning their attention to the summer transfer window as the 2022/23 campaign comes to a close.

Unai Emery has taken the Villans to new heights, with one game remaining of the Spaniard’s first season that could take the Midlands club to Europe.

Not many could have predicted the success that Villa would lead this term, following the dismissal of Steven Gerrard in October, when the club were loitering towards the bottom three.

The 51-year-old Premier League manager of the year nominee, is targeting more highs in his first full season and is reportedly looking towards an active summer in the transfer window.

Reports have linked a number of La Liga names to Villa Park in the coming window, with news reported over the weekend of the potential progression regarding a Real Madrid star.

What’s the latest on Dani Ceballos to Aston Villa?

As reported by one Foot Mercato journalist, Villa are speculated to have made a “very important” offer to Spanish midfielder Dani Ceballos.

The 26-year-old is out of contract in Madrid this summer, sparking rumours of his potential exit ahead of Emery’s interest.

The two were first linked in January when it was reported by Marca that the midfielder rejected a potential move.

What could Dani Ceballos bring to Aston Villa?

Ceballos has had a spell in the Premier League previously, as well as working under Emery while on loan at Arsenal.

Described by the Villa boss as a player that can do “great things”, the midfielder could have a real impact on his current side, with FBref likening him based on statistics to Chelsea’s Enzo Fernandez.

The Utrera-born play-maker ranks in the top 1% of progressive passes in Europe’s top five leagues in his position, with a monstrous 11.73 per 90. He also ranks highly in terms of take-ons (best 2%), averaging a successful 2.36 per 90 – as per FBref.

Lauded by former boss Mikel Arteta when speaking to BBC as being an "animal" in training, the £52k-per-week ace could be a powerful weapon in Emery's plans.

While his position is comparative to Villa’s Emi Buendia, his numbers over the past year dominate the Argentine as per FBref, with the former Norwich City ace recording just 2.18 progressive passes per 90 and only 0.98 successful take-ons per 90.

The potential arrival of the Madrid man could spark competition with the midfielder in Emery’s system, adding to depth and player performance.

Villa are on the path to great success with the four-time Europa League winner’s guidance, however, the summer window will be crucial as every team in the top tier will look to strengthen.

The club have strong targets for the 2023/24 campaign, and should they seal European football on the final day, Villa Park could become a very tempting location for hot talents to progress their game.

Liverpool could be set for a transformative transfer window this summer after a troubling Premier League campaign and now a new report has emerged about the club's scouts being sent to France to watch potential targets.

What's the latest on Liverpool's interest in Kevin Danso?

According to 90min, Liverpool scouts were in attendance for Lens' victory over Marseille last weekend to watch Kevin Danso, Seko Fofana and Lois Openda.

As per the report, the Reds are joined by Manchester United, Newcastle United, Aston Villa and Wolverhampton Wanderers in their interest in Danso, with Liverpool keen to add defensive reinforcements this summer.

Would Kevin Danso be a good signing for Liverpool?

There is no doubt that big changes are needed at Anfield if they are going to return to the highest level both domestically and on the European stage.

Bolstering key areas of the pitch and providing Jurgen Klopp with players who can become part of the next generation of success at Anfield will surely be the highest priority for the powerbrokers at the club and the signing of Danso could be a fantastic place to start.

Indeed, the Reds acquired the services of young centre-back Ibrahima Konate in 2021, however, with Virgil van Dijk and Joel Matip both well into their 30s at this point, it would be beneficial for the club to continue searching for young defenders to replace them.

Over 34 Ligue One appearances, the 6 foot 3 titan has tallied up a phenomenal haul of 14 clean sheets, all while amassing a pass completion rate of 90% and registering two assists.

From a defensive point of view, the centre-back has managed one interception, 1.1 tackles, 3.5 clearances, and won 5.5 duels won per game.

Not only that, Danso ranks in the top 20% of his positional peers across the top five European leagues for shots on goal, shot-creating actions, pass completion and successful take-ons, proving that he is a huge presence and one of the hottest prospects in Europe.

The £23m-rated talent has been lavished with praise for his outstanding contributions in France this season, with Lens head coach Frank Haise claiming:

"He is a leader by nature. This role suits him wonderfully and he fulfils it with much enthusiasm. Kevin is a top professional. Every day in training, he is very serious.

"Kevin is now one of the best central defenders in Ligue 1, but also in Europe.

"He has developed into a complete defender who is not only strong in the air but also has good technique with few mistakes in his build-up play and very clean passing."

With that being said, Danso would be a great addition to the Liverpool squad this summer in their efforts to add young talent into the team and could be the perfect replacement for Van Dijk in the future.

Michael Klinger led from the front as Gloucestershire clinched a nail-biting four-wicket NatWest T20 Blast win over Somerset with one ball to spare under the Bristol floodlights.

ECB Reporters Network17-Jun-2016
ScorecardMichael Klinger was again Gloucestershire’s saviour•Clint Hughes/PA PhotosMichael Klinger led from the front as Gloucestershire clinched a nail-biting four-wicket NatWest T20 Blast win over Somerset with one ball to spare under the Bristol floodlights.The skipper hit 60 in a low-scoring contest to guide his side to 160 for six in front of a large partisan crowd. Roelof van der Merwe took three for 16 from four overs to ensure a close contest.After rain had delayed the start until 7.05pm, Somerset posted 158 for five, Chris Gayle top-scoring with 40. Benny Howell picked up two for 29, while Tom Smith and Kieran Noema-Barnett combined well in mid-innings to restrict the scoring rate.It didn’t look enough, but a see-saw contest ensued before Gareth Roderick hit the penultimate ball from Yasir Arafat for a boundary.The match began with the unusual sight of Gayle playing out a maiden from Matt Taylor. But soon the West Indian was giving an 11,000 crowd, the biggest ever for a domestic match at the ground, a taste of what they had come to see.Having taken nine balls to get off the mark, Gayle blasted 6 fours and two big sixes off Liam Norwell and Andrew Tye before skying Noema-Barnett to extra cover where Michael Klinger took an excellent catch in the seventh over.”It was a fantastic atmosphere and I want to thank all our supporters who turned out to make it such a memorable evening,” Klinger said later. “If Chris Gayle had hung around for a few more overs it might have been a different story. When he skied that ball into the lights and I got underneath it I was praying I didn’t drop it.”Thanks largely to Gayle, Somerset reached 55 by the end of the six-over powerplay. But from then on their innings lost momentum as Noema-Barnett and left-arm spinner Smith, who took a brilliant caught and bowled to dismiss the dangerous Peter Trego, stemmed the flow of boundaries.At the halfway stage the visitors were 83 for two. But Jim Allenby (27) fell to a catch at short fine leg, Mahela Jayawardene looked sadly out of touch in making 24 and Johann Myburgh quickly followed him back to the pavilion in the same Howell over.It took a late assault from Lewis Gregory (23 not out) and Roelof van der Merwe (18 not out) to get Somerset to a competitive score, which still looked below par.Gloucestershire’s reply got off to a disastrous start as Hamish Marshall pushed only half forward to the first ball and was bowled through the gate by Yasir Arafat.Klinger and Ian Cockbain took the score to 40 in the sixth over before the latter, on 23, carelessly pulled a short ball from Jamie Overton straight to Gregory at deep square.Chris Dent (22) helped Klinger add 63 before being bowled advancing to hit van der Merwe in the 13th over by which time Gloucestershire required only 56.Klinger went to his half-century off 36 balls, with 4 fours and a six, offering a reassuring presence throughout. Benny Howell fell cheaply to the excellent van der Merwe, who followed up by having Noema-Barnett caught at long-off in the same over.Somerset must have rued leaving out leg-spinner Max Waller as their quicker bowlers proved easier to hit. But they kept chipping away and finally got rid of Klinger, bowled by Gregory aiming a big hit after a change of ball.Gloucestershire required 30 off the last three overs, with four wickets in hand. Arafat and Gregory did their bit and 14 were still needed as Arafat’s first delivery of the final over was hit for a straight six by Tye.That changed everything and Gloucestershire edged home.

Chelsea haven't yet 'made their next move' as they try to tie Mason Mount down to a new contract at Stamford Bridge, according to CBS Sports reporter Ben Jacobs.

What's the latest news involving Mason Mount?

As per Football Insider, Chelsea are now growing in confidence that Mount will snub interest from Liverpool and elsewhere to sign a new contract at Stamford Bridge.

The Blues have been 'locked' in talks with Mount over extending his stay at the club due to his current deal running out in 2024; however, have not yet been able to reach an agreement with the England international, alerting the aforementioned Liverpool, Arsenal and Bayern Munich to his potential availability.

GOAL have claimed that Mount is expected to leave Chelsea this summer and Arsenal have discussed the prospect of bringing him to North London alongside West Ham United midfielder Declan Rice.

Mount, who earns £80k per week on the books at Stamford Bridge, could be set for a new challenge, with the report claiming that Chelsea could look to cash in on their homegrown product in the off-season due to their failure to qualify for the Champions League.

Speculation is very much up in the air surrounding the Portsmouth-born midfielder at the moment, something which journalist Jacobs has commented on when speaking to Football FanCast.

Jacobs told FFC: "The key thing to stress is that Chelsea hasn't made their next move yet. So what we're seeing at the moment is a window of opportunity whereby suitors pre-planning for the window are establishing the player perspective and they are trying to offer a much clearer pitch than Chelsea. Liverpool are one of those clubs, but there's a variety of Premier League suitors now, considering Mount to different degrees and each of the clubs looking away from Chelsea can, in all likelihood, offer Mount some form of European football and a more stable structure that isn't going to go up and down, depending on team and individual success. Whereas the Chelsea pitch is around trying to lower their overall base wage but offer players huge earning potential if they in the team succeed."

Will Mason Mount stay at Chelsea or leave his boyhood club this summer?

In all honesty, it's a difficult situation to predict right now, seeing as there are so many moving parts regarding what the future may hold for Mount.

Either way, he is a talented footballer and it comes as no surprise to see high-profile clubs interested in luring him away from Stamford Bridge.

In 2022/23, Mount has made 35 appearances for Chelsea encompassing all competitions, scoring three times and registering six assists, as per Transfermarkt.

WhoScored notes that the playmaker has also threaded through an average of 1.3 key passes per match in the Premier League this term, demonstrating his vision to split open opposition backlines.

Yes, his consistency has flickered this campaign at times; nevertheless, Mount is a tricky player to deal with when at full throttle and is expected to have plenty of suitors this summer.

The team with the worst record in the history of English Twenty20 beat the team with the best as Derbyshire upset defending NatWest Blast champions Lancashire at Old Trafford

ECB Reporters Network21-May-2016
ScorecardHamish Rutherford smacked 71 off 40 balls•Getty ImagesThe team with the worst record in the history of English Twenty20 beat the team with the best as Derbyshire upset defending NatWest Blast champions Lancashire at Old Trafford.The Falcons swooped on a nine-wicket win with 32 balls to spare, chasing down 132 in this 19-over contest following an impressive bowling and fielding display, which included two wickets for overseas debutant Jimmy Neesham.Liam Livingstone and Arron Lilley were both run out going for two late in Lancashire’s modest 131 for 7 after rain delayed the start by 75 minutes.Neesham’s fellow New Zealander Hamish Rutherford then led the chase with a blistering unbeaten 71 off 40 balls with six fours and three sixes.Prior to this North Group opener, Derbyshire had only won a total of 39 matches in 13 seasons compared to Lancashire’s 84.Lancashire included former captain Tom Smith in their line-up following 13 months away from first-team action with a career threatening back injury and more recent hamstring problems. But, after two fours in his nine off eight balls, he chipped Neesham’s seamers to mid-on as the innings struggled for momentum against some excellent pace off the ball bowling.Neesham later trapped home captain Steven Croft lbw for a top-score of 31, while Livingstone was the only other batsman to pass 20 after Derbyshire elected to field first.Neesham finished with 2 for 38 from his four overs added to wickets for Shiv Thakor, Andy Carter and Alex Hughes.Although going wicketless, Preston-born leg-spinner Matt Critchley was excellent through the middle of the innings in only conceding 19 runs from his four overs. Lancashire failed to score a boundary from the fourth ball of the fifth over to the fourth ball of the 13th.Captain Wes Durston got Derbyshire’s chase off to a flyer with four fours and a six over wide long-on off Neil Wagner in the first two overs.The hosts also lost Gavin Griffiths to a finger injury after bowling just one ball – sustained whilst trying to take a sharp return catch from Rutherford’s bat at the start of the third over when he was on 1.Durston was the only wicket to fall, early in the fourth when he skied George Edwards to mid-off, but he had scored 30 out of 38 by then.Rutherford continued the assault to take his side beyond 50 in the fifth over before hoisting Edwards over long-on for six in the next. The left-hander hit two more sixes over long-on in the eighth and ninth overs, off Stephen Parry and Lilley, on the way to a 24-ball fifty.Rutherford was well supported by another of Derbyshire’s Kiwi contingent, Neil Broom, as they shared an unbroken 94 inside eleven overs for the second wicket.

Tottenham Hotspur's chances of finishing inside the Premier League top four are fading after the 2-2 draw against Manchester United on Thursday night, despite some positive signs in the second half.

Spurs fought back from 2-0 down to rescue a point, with Pedro Porro and Son Heung-min getting on the scoresheet in the second half. However, they probably needed three points to keep their Champions League dream alive.

The Lilywhites still trail the Red Devils by six points, despite playing two more games, while Newcastle's emphatic 4-1 win away at Everton means it will also be very hard to catch Eddie Howe's side.

Since our last set of predictions, Tottenham have parted ways with Cristian Stellini, with Ryan Mason taking charge on an interim basis until the end of the season. Here's how we expect their remaining games to finish:

Tottenham fixtures 30 April: Liverpool (a) 6 May: Crystal Palace (h) 13 May: Aston Villa (a) 20 May: Brentford (h) 28 May: Leeds (a) Liverpool v Tottenham

Jurgen Klopp's side have underperformed this season, so this Sunday's encounter at Anfield may prove to be decisive in the race for the Europa League, rather than the Champions League, but Liverpool have started to click at the right time.

The Reds have now won their last three Premier League games, most recently emerging 2-1 winners away at West Ham United, and they will have the opportunity to leapfrog Tottenham in the table with a victory this weekend.

Given the improvement from Liverpool in recent weeks, they are likely to emerge as comfortable winners, particularly considering Anfield is not a happy hunting ground for Spurs, having failed to win there since May 2011.

Prediction: Liverpool 2-0 Tottenham

Tottenham v Crystal Palace

Tottenham will need to be winning games like this to stand any chance of finishing inside the top four, and they are likely to take all three points, especially since Crystal Palace have little to play for at this stage of the season.

The returning Roy Hodgson has overseen the Eagles rise up the league table, now sitting eight points clear of the bottom three, and just three points off the all-important 40-point barrier.

With safety more or less confirmed, Palace have started to falter in recent weeks, drawing against Everton, before losing 2-0 against Wolverhampton Wanderers last time out, and they are unlikely to pose too much of a threat to Spurs.

Prediction: Tottenham 3-1 Crystal Palace

Aston Villa v Tottenham

Unai Emery has been breaking records as manager of Aston Villa, with his side scoring in all 20 league games since his appointment, which is the most consecutive Premier League matches a team with a new manager has scored in.

At the time of writing, the Villans have won five Premier League home games in a row to put themselves in contention for European qualification, particularly impressing in a resounding 3-0 victory against Newcastle United.

Although there were signs of improvement from Spurs in the second half against Man United, they are unlikely to take anything against such an in-form Villa side.

Prediction: Aston Villa 2-0 Tottenham

Tottenham v Brentford

Although their form has started to dry up in recent weeks, winning just one of their last seven games, Brentford are likely to be very happy with their 2022-23 campaign, and they returned to form in their last match.

The Bees ran out 2-0 winners against a struggling Chelsea side at Stamford Bridge, and they now sit ninth in the Premier League table, although it looks very unlikely they will be able to make a late push for Europe.

Despite the victory in their last match, the Bees should not pose too much of a threat for Tottenham, who must win games like this to keep their European dream alive.

Prediction: Tottenham 3-1 Brentford

Leeds v Tottenham

On the final day of the season, Spurs travel to Elland Road to take on a Leeds side who may well be fighting for their lives, given that they are in 16th place, just one point above the bottom three at the time of writing.

Javi Gracia's side have been very disappointing in recent weeks, losing 5-1 at home to Crystal Palace and 6-1 at home to Liverpool, while a 1-1 draw against Leicester City last time out has also done them no favours.

The Lilywhites have won four of their five matches against Leeds since the West Yorkshire club returned to the Premier League, most recently running out 4-3 winners after a late figh back in November.

Both sides have very poor defensive records, with Leeds having conceded the joint-highest amount of any side in the league, therefore it is likely to be a high-scoring game, with Spurs emerging as narrow winners.

Prediction: Leeds 2-3 Tottenham

Predicted run-in points: 9/15 Predicted total points: 63

Chelsea's search for their potential next permanent manager has taken them to the door of Mauricio Pochettino with initial talks being held this week.

Who is the favourite for the Chelsea job?

It has been a turbulent campaign in west London which has seen the coming and going of two managers already in Thomas Tuchel and Graham Potter.

Frank Lampard has been handed the keys until the end of the season but his arrival is yet to bear fruit with the Blues having now lost all four of the games he has overseen.

The search for their next permanent boss has been fizzing away in the background now for a number of weeks with the likes of Luis Enrique and Julian Nagelsmann both linked with the job.

And it has been suggested the German is the favourite to land the job with their interest in Enrique cooling of late.

However, there has been another name to enter the frame in recent days in Tottenham Hotspur's former boss Mauricio Pochettino.

Indeed, speaking on his Here We Go podcast, Fabrizio Romano has claimed the Blues have now held initial talks with the Argentine with further discussions set to take place:

(5:45) "What we can say is that Chelsea approached Mauricio Pochettino there has been a contact between Chelsea and Pochettino.

"It's the very first time since last summer you remember probably that Pochettino was one of the names together with Graham Potter to replace Thomas Tuchel. Then Chelsea were really convinced on Potter, but Pochettino has been approached.

"Now there are conversations. Nothing is advanced. It's just an approach, a contact. Nagelsmann remains the favourite but Pochettino is a name to add to Chelsea's list."

Would Pochettino be a good fit for Chelsea?

During his time in north London, Pochettino was labelled as a "magician" for his transformation in making Spurs a consistent top-four side.

However, it was a long-term project which the Argentine set out at Tottenham and he was provided the patience of the Spurs board until 2019.

Whether this would be the same at Chelsea is another matter given the huge sums of money which have been spent by Todd Boehly already since his arrival.

Chelsea will obviously be looking for a significant turnaround next season from their current league standing in the bottom half of the table.

But given the finances involved, perhaps improvement alone may not be enough and perhaps the owners will want to see the club get their hands on some silverware.

This is something which plagued Pochettino's time in north London but there will always be the notion of him not being backed by the board.

There is also the question of whether the Argentine would be willing to potentially tarnish his relationship with the Spurs fans who have been heard recently singing his name from the stands.

Pochettino – hailed as a "master tactician" by Mina Rzouki – has admitted in the past that he would like to return to manage Spurs one day, but perhaps he has to take this opportunity to return to the Premier League if Chelsea are to offer him the role.

Arsenal are ready to make a move for Gabriel Veiga this summer, as he is set to leave Celta Vigo, according to recent reports from Spain.

What's the latest Arsenal transfer news?

Mikel Arteta has his sights set on bringing in additional options in the engine room this summer, and the manager has recently been handed a boost in his pursuit of West Ham United captain Declan Rice.

The Gunners are now said to be in pole position to sign the 24-year-old this summer, having overtaken both Chelsea and Newcastle United in the race for his signature, with the Hammers set to demand £80m – £100m to sanction a sale.

Rice is Arsenal's top priority to bolster their midfield this summer, however he is not the only target, with Football Insider reporting Moises Caicedo and Amadou Onana could be targeted as back-up options.

According to a recent report from AS (via Sport Witness), the Gunners are one of the clubs ready to make a move for Veiga, with current club Celta Vigo almost resigned to losing him at the end of the season.

There are multiple Premier League clubs interested in the 20-year-old, while Real Madrid are also named as potential suitors, although they are yet to open talks.

It is detailed that Celta would be delighted if they were to receive €40m (£36m) for the starlet, as that figure would almost double their club-record transfer, and he is set to make a decision about his future when he has chosen a new agent.

Should Arsenal sign Gabriel Veiga?

The maestro has enjoyed a phenomenal breakthrough season this year, scoring nine and bagging four assists, weighing in with more goals per 90 than any other Celta Vigo player, averaging 0.47.

Such is the Spaniard's threat on the front foot, he ranks in the 99th percentile for goals, and the total number of shots taken per 90 over the course of the past year, while he also places in the 96th percentile for successful take-ons.

The youngster does not possess the proven Premier League experience that Rice does, however if he only costs £36m, then there is no reason why Arsenal cannot bring in both players.

Hailed as "amazing" by football scout Jacek Kulig, Veiga looks like he will be a very exciting prospect for the future, and his performances this season indicate he could immediately challenge for a place in the Arsenal starting XI.

Manchester United are likely still reeling following their late collapse in Thursday's 2-2 draw at home to Sevilla in the Europa League, with that first-leg stalemate having ensured the tie is very much still in the balance heading into next week's trip to Spain.

The higher cost from that clash at Old Trafford, however, was the loss of both Raphael Varane and Lisandro Martinez to injury, with the withdrawal of the latter man, in particular, having sparked concern among the home support with regard to the extent of his potential absence.

As it has proved, United's worst fears have been realised as the club have since revealed that Martinez will be out for the remainder of the campaign after sustaining a metatarsal injury, while fellow World Cup winner, Varane, is also set to be out of action for the next few weeks.

That double blow has ensured that manager Erik ten Hag only has Harry Maguire and Victor Lindelof to call upon as his senior centre-back options for the forthcoming games, albeit with usual left-back Luke Shaw – who has endured his own injury woes of late – also able to slot into a central berth if required.

Even with the flexibility of the England international, however, with games coming thick and fast it may be difficult for the Old Trafford outfit to rely solely on those limited options, with 19-year-old, Rhys Bennett, one potential academy gem who could well be called upon to ease this worrying, injury crisis.

Who is Man United's Rhys Bennett?

The teenage defender notably came to wider prominence after captaining United's U18 side to FA Youth Cup glory at the tail end of last season, with the promising Englishman having proved vital in the showpiece triumph over Nottingham Forest after netting the game's opening goal.

Having worn the captain's armband in the academy ranks of late, Bennett is seemingly something of a "natural leader" – according to Manchester Evening News journalist Samuel Luckhurst – and also a real "good character", having clearly made a strong impression at the club to date.

While a competitive, senior bow has yet to emerge for the £730-per-week prospect, the exciting talent did notably feature for Ten Hag's men during the World Cup break against Real Betis, with experienced stopper Tom Heaton having hailed his young colleague as "excellent" despite that 1-0 defeat.

Bennett has already been promoted to the first-team squad this season alongside fellow Youth Cup winners Kobbie Mainoo and Alejandro Garnacho, with the next step now for the youngster to go beyond just merely featuring as part of the matchday squad for the top-four hopefuls.

Having "played well" against Betis, as per Luckhurst, the teen starlet clearly has the ability to be able to thrive against senior opposition, with it potentially not too long before a proper chance to impress emerges, amid the loss of both Martinez and Varane.

Referee Christopher Kavanagh and his VAR team may have made a big mistake in the most recent Newcastle United game after awarding a controversial penalty.

What's the latest on Newcastle and VAR?

The Magpies managed to pick up a vital three points on their push to finish inside the top four as they beat Brentford 2-1 at the Gtech Community Stadium.

Indeed, travelling away from home and down to west London, Eddie Howe and his men were put under plenty of pressure in the first half.

After just 28 minutes, Sven Botman made a poor challenge inside his own box but Nick Pope saved Ivan Toney's penalty. However, before the break, the Brentford man did manage to score from 12 yards after Alexander Isak was judged to have fouled Rico Henry.

While the incident wasn't called live, video assistant referee Darren England instructed Kavanagh to go to the pitchside monitor, and a penalty was then awarded.

Was it a foul by Isak?

It's clear that referee Kavanagh has a great view of the initial challenge but he decided against giving a foul.

With that in mind, it's a little odd that he later agreed with VAR that he had made a clear and obvious mistake and so would have to overturn his first call.

While speaking about the incident on Match of the Day (via Shields Gazette), Alan Shearer certainly made this point.

Indeed, the furious BBC pundit said: “I don’t mean to get angry, but there’s no other option than to do that. This is a terrible, terrible decision.

“Henry goes for it, Isak goes for it. Chris Kavanagh the referee sees that himself and he doesn’t give that at all, not at all. He has a great view of it.

“The VAR and Darren England look at that for twenty replays and it takes them three minutes to send the referee [to the monitor] and say to him ‘no, I think you have made an absolute howler, you have to go to the screen’. What I would say to Chris Kavanagh is show some courage and back yourself to say to VAR and Darren England ‘no, you’ve got it completely wrong. I’ve watched it for myself, I’ve had a good view of it and I’m sticking to my decision.’

“But no, he backs down and gives the penalty. It’s a terrible decision."

He then added that he expects a PGMOL apology for the call, saying: “Once again Howard Webb will be ringing Eddie Howe up for the second time in a month and saying ‘I apologise we got that one wrong’. I know Howard Webb has a tough job and he wants to have a high bar, but for them to re-referee like that, it’s not right, he doesn’t want that, he’s told me.”

In the end, despite this controversy, Newcastle still managed to pick up the win with two goals in the second half – including a redeeming winner from Isak.