Referee Stuart Attwell and his VAR team may have made a big mistake in the most recent Newcastle United game after not awarding a penalty for a foul on Fabian Schar.

What's the latest on Fabian Schar and Newcastle?

The Magpies picked up a huge three points in the quest to end the season with Champions League football as they eased past Manchester United with a fairly routine win.

Indeed, coming up against the Red Devils in the important Premier League clash, the home side ran out 2-0 winners at St James' Park thanks to goals from Joe Willock and Callum Wilson.

Despite the final scoreline, the game wasn't entirely settled until Newcastle got their second goal with just two minutes left to play. However, things could have been much easier had Attwell or VAR noticed a possible foul on Schar.

Indeed, as seen in the Sky Sports highlights package (2:30), the defender seems to be kicked in the head when trying to win the ball.

Did Schar deserve a penalty for the foul?

Judging by the replays, it seems quite clear that Schar wins the ball with his head while Man United player Bruno Fernandes then dangles a leg and makes contact.

It's not necessarily a high boot from the Red Devil, as the Newcastle United centre-back throws himself to a lower height to win the ball, but that doesn't have to be relevant.

In the end, it's just a simple matter of two players going for the ball, one winning it and the other man kicking the opponent in the head.

However, Man United may find themselves slightly unlucky too as they had an incident involving the same two players in the first half, with Fernandes' penalty appeal waved away by VAR and the referee.

On the Sky Sports commentary, Gary Neville claims there was a VAR check for a handball on the line from Anthony Martial – which was easily dismissed. If this was the case, it's quite remarkable that the officials didn't spot the possible foul on Schar in the same passage of play.

Ultimately, it didn't matter too much as the Magpies still managed to get the win and seal the three points with that second goal through Wilson later on. Had Man United found a way to get themselves level before then, however, Eddie Howe and his side may well have been fuming about this incident on Monday morning.

As it happens, he seemed delighted with his team's performance after the game, telling BBC Sport: "It was an important win and mostly it was a really good performance from the players. It was really high energy, high quality and a lot of chances created.

"We kept knocking on the door. Tribute to our fitness levels today. In my opinion, we got stronger in the game, even though we were giving so much to it."

Liverpool forward Diogo Jota leaving to join Premier League rivals Newcastle United is ‘out of reach’, according to journalist Jacque Talbot.

The Lowdown: Magpies interest

The Portuguese forward only put pen to paper on a new deal last summer, meaning that his contract at Anfield isn’t set to expire until 2027, but he’s recently been linked with an exit having struggled to find form since returning from injury.

Football Transfers revealed earlier this month that the Magpies are considering a move for the 26-year-old later in the summer having identified him as someone that Eddie Howe would like to bring to St. James’ Park.

The Reds, however, do not wish to lose their attacker to one of their top-four chasing rivals as stated by the same outlet, but it appears that a move is off the cards anyway.

The Latest: Talbot’s verdict

Speaking during an exclusive interview with LFC Transfer Room, Talbot confirmed that Newcastle do indeed hold an interest in Jota, but suggested that any kind of deal is unlikely to happen due to a £70m price tag:

“He (Diogo Jota) is liked by the club (Newcastle) but it is probably out of reach. You can see why (Newcastle target him) he ticks a lot of boxes in terms of versatility, Premier League proven. It will be around £70m for that to happen.”

Expanding on his comments, the reporter continued to state that a move is ‘not going to happen’ as a result of Jurgen Klopp not wanting to let any other of his attacking options leave alongside Roberto Firmino at the end of the season.

The Verdict: Keep hold of him

Jota has been hailed a ‘superb player’ by journalist Josh Bunting and Liverpool need to do everything they can to keep hold of him beyond the upcoming summer window.

The Adidas-sponsored star has clocked up 49 goal contributions in 101 appearances since joining the Merseyside outfit, helping them get their hands on both the FA and League Cups along the way.

The Massarelos native also currently ranks in the 99th percentile for total number of assists and the 97th percentile for most touches in the attacking penalty area, showing just how much he contributes in the final third (FBRef).

Jota’s versatility to operate in five various positions and the fact that he’s comfortable being fielded anywhere across the frontline will be an attractive attribute to Klopp, and is yet another reason why the Reds shouldn’t let him go.

Newcastle United midfielder Joelinton left club legend Alan Shearer stunned on Wednesday night by his display in their impressive 5-1 victory.

Will Newcastle secure Champions League football?

After a difficult spell earlier in the year when the Magpies were looking ahead to their Carabao Cup final trip to Wembley, their form did noticeably dip.

However, now that final is over and done with, Eddie Howe's men have been able to return to their best form which saw them mixing it with the top four in the first place.

And it is apparent they are keen to capitalise on the struggles of other clubs like Tottenham Hotspur as they have now opened up a three-point gap on the Londoners with a game still in hand.

Not only did Newcastle secure three important points on Wednesday in the capital, but they sent a real message out to their top four rivals by scoring five goals away from home.

One of the players who got in on the act at the London Stadium was the Brazilian, Joelinton, who netted in both halves as the Toon ran riot in the capital.

And it was apparent the £85k-per-week midfielder had impressed Shearer who took to the Brazilian's post-match Instagram post to hail his display against West Ham United:

How good was Joelinton against West Ham?

The midfielder had a difficult start to life on Tyneside having joined as a forward who then found goals incredibly hard to come by in a black and white shirt.

However, the arrival of Howe at St. James' Park has transformed Joelinton's career at Newcastle with the 26-year-old now proving many of his doubters wrong.

“I don’t think I’ve seen a transformation in any player ever that’s better than Joelinton!” Said Ally McCoist on talkSPORT following the 5-1 victory on Wednesday night.

And it has to be said, the Brazilian's turnaround has been sensational having already equalled his best return in a Premier League season but doing so in a deeper position (via Transfermarkt).

On top of adding two goals to his tally, the Brazilian's 55-touch display saw him help out defensively with one tackle, one interception and one clearance (via SofaScore).

The Brazilian made his return to the starting XI having only featured from the bench in the victory on the weekend against Manchester United, but he certainly made a statement on his return to the fold against the Hammers.

Having now racked up 24 appearances in the Premier League this season, Howe will be hoping the Brazilian can avoid any injury issues in the run-in as Newcastle sit firmly in the driving seat for a spot in the top four.

An "extra stage of bidding" has now arrived at Manchester United, according to journalist Ben Jacobs, as talk of a big-money takeover at Old Trafford continues.

What's happening with Man Utd's takeover?

This has been a successful season for the Red Devils to date, following their EFL Cup triumph earlier in the campaign, and it could get even better over the next month or so. United are still in with a good chance of securing both Europa League and FA Cup glory before the end of the season, with a top-four finish in the Premier League also on the cards.

Away from the pitch, rumours continue to emerge regarding the potential takeover of the club, with the Glazers possibly open to selling either a minority stake or 100% of the club to the highest bidder. It looks like a straight shootout between Sheikh Jassim and Sir Jim Ratcliffe, as things stand, with both already seeing initial offers rejected and have since made revised bids.

Now, a new report has emerged regarding the matter, as the saga continues to rumble on.

Could there be another round of bids?

Taking to Twitter, Jacobs provided an update on the situation, claiming things are still 'on track' and that there is expected to be clarity 'this week' after second offers were submitted last month.

"Manchester United suitors expect to hear back from Raine Group this week and get clarity on the next step of the process. Things largely still on track despite the second bids of Sheikh Jassim and Sir Jim Ratcliffe coming in slightly late."Quick second-bid deadline after meetings at Old Trafford has allowed for an extra stage of bidding, if needed, without altering the timescale significantly."

From a United perspective, the hope is simply that a deal can be struck as soon as possible, with the vast majority of supporters now clearly wanting the Glazer era to come to an end as soon as possible. Most likely won't care too much about who eventually becomes the Red Devils' new owner – Ratcliffe being a boyhood United supporter could appeal to some – as long as they provide more funds for signings and generally steer the club in a positive direction.It will be intriguing to see what the reaction to the next batch of bids is, as the pair try and outdo each other and take control of arguably the biggest football club in the world. Should a takeover goes through, it could feel like a seismic day in United's recent history, representing a much-needed fresh start.

West Ham United were outclassed by Newcastle United on Wednesday night, with the Toon's 5-1 win at the London Stadium serving as a stark reminder that the Hammers simply aren't too good to be relegated this season.

There is no doubt that the margin of victory was elevated due to horrific mistakes by Nayef Aguerd and Lukasz Fabianski but the overall performance from West Ham was far from good enough, with the strikers in David Moyes' system continuing to struggle.

After Danny Ings' anonymous display against former side Southampton, completing just seven passes, the Scottish manager opted to start Michail Antonio but the Jamaica international endured a similarly disappointing night.

How did Antonio play against Newcastle?

As per Sofascore, the 33-year-old forward would earn a 6.5/10 rating, despite barely being involved in the game at the London Stadium.

During his 63 minutes on the pitch, the former Nottingham Forest man would manage just 26 touches of the ball, which was fewer than Fabianski, who had 31.

Antonio didn't contribute anything on the rare occasions that he was involved, as he completed just three passes from 11 attempted, leaving him with a shocking success rate of only 27%.

His average in the Premier League this season has not been good, as it stands at 8.5 passes per game with a success rate of 53.5%, but this was a new level of mediocrity against Newcastle.

It seems clear that whoever plays up front in Moyes' 4-2-3-1 system is left completely isolated and cannot contribute effectively to the build-up, which is perhaps exactly why summer flop Gianluca Scamacca was brought to the London Stadium in 2022.

Antonio has been a great servant to West Ham and has his place in the record books after becoming their record Premier League goalscorer but after a return of no shots on target and no key passes it seems clear that he won't be the man to keep the Hammers up this term.

Unfortunately, it seems as if Moyes still has faith in the experienced forward, as, despite interest from other Premier League sides, and his comments against the Scottish manager's tactics in January, which were deemed "disrespectful" by Frank McAvennie, he remained at the London Stadium.

Antonio said: "You can see over the last few games, we've conceded more goals on counter-attacks than we ever had in the last two years. We're open, way more expansive.

"Teams are countering us the way we would have countered them before. It's a transition. We're trying to transition to become a bigger team and, I've got to be honest, it ain't working."

Antonio's comments may be accurate but to speak out against a manager's tactics in a public light is not something that should have been tolerated by Moyes. Therefore, after another shocking display against Newcastle, his decision to keep him in January is now backfiring.

Newcastle United are riding high under Eddie Howe at present, with the Englishman having steered the club into the mix for Champions League qualification following what has been a truly remarkable campaign thus far for the Magpies.

After years of fearing for their safety at the foot of the table, the Tynesiders are now beginning to enjoy what looks set to be a brighter future under the PIF regime, with the ambitious ownership no doubt harbouring hopes of turning the club into title contenders in the years to come.

For all the positivity surrounding St James' Park, Howe and co will no doubt be aware that further quality will be needed if the club are to kick on moving forward, with the midfield ranks seemingly one area in which the club do look rather light.

The upcoming summer window should seemingly see the northeast side address that issue, although the top-four hopefuls no doubt wish they had a figure of the past to call upon to bolster their ranks, with it a mouthwatering prospect to imagine the impact that Gini Wijnaldum could have made in this current Newcastle side, having been a shining light during a rather drab time at the club back in the 2015/16 season.

How good was Wijnaldum at Newcastle?

Not to suggest that sporting director Dan Ashworth should necessarily go out and buy the present-day version of the dynamic Dutchman, yet one can only imagine just how crucial the former PSV Eindhoven star could have been had he been able to complement the current crop of players under Howe's watch.

Now 32, the experienced ace was originally brought to England by Steve McClaren back in 2015, with the one-time FC Twente boss utilising his Eredivisie connections to bring Wijnaldum to the club on a £14.5m deal.

Hailed by McClaren as a real "leader" and a "statement" signing for the Magpies upon his capture, the Rotterdam native would instantly mark himself as something of a cult figure in his new home, having been the real star attraction in an otherwise forgettable season at St James' Park.

Despite the historic club ultimately suffering relegation at the end of that 2015/16 campaign – the playmaker's solitary season in the black and white jersey – Wijnaldum made a truly strong impression, contributing a stunning haul of 11 goals and five assists in 38 Premier League appearances.

That eye-catching tally is far superior to what the current midfield group have been able to manage, with Bruno Guimaraes leading the way with just three goals and three assists in the league, while Joelinton has just two goals and only two assists.

The latter man currently operates in a more advanced midfield berth – as Wijnaldum did during his time at the club – although is far from a truly creative presence, as he has averaged just 0.9 key passes per game this season, while the Netherlands international averaged 1.3 for that same metric in 2015/16.

Equally, while Joelinton has won just 46% of his ground duels this season despite his physical stature, Wijnaldum won 51% of his ground duels during his solitary season at the club, proving himself an effective, ball-playing winning asset, as well as delivering the goods in the final third.

That all-round quality would surely have made the former Feyenoord ace a shoo-in to be a central part of Howe's side in the present day, with the Magpies likely ruing that their time with the 5 foot 9 menace was so brief, as he went on to enjoy a glittering, trophy-laden spell at Liverpool.

Leeds United boss Javi Gracia has impressed those inside Thorp Arch, with some seeing similar traits to the ones former coach Marcelo Bielsa brought to the club.

Is Javi Gracia similar to Marcelo Bielsa?

According to the Spaniard, the Leeds manager is putting in long days at Thorp Arch training ground for the Whites as they look to avoid relegation from the Premier League.

He has suggested that he is only getting a few hours of sleep per night in a bid to devise his plan on how to keep the West Yorkshire side afloat.

And during Bielsa's time with the club, it was believed he had asked the club to provide beds for the players and himself to rest between sessions as he looked to optimise his methods while at the club.

Speaking on his podcast, Phil Hay has suggested some of the people around the club have noticed some similarities in the values brought in by Gracia:

"It probably is [Marcelo's bed in the office], and the good news for him is there's a bed built into that office, but there's also a kitchenette that he can use.

"It's interesting actually, speaking to people about Gracia, they're not trying to compare him to Bielsa as such, but I do think they see certain traits in him that are quite recognisable."

Will Gracia keep Leeds up?

Leeds were able to soar up the table before the international break through their victory away to Wolverhampton Wanderers, which saw them climb up to 14th place.

However, it has to be stressed how tight the table remains, with the Whites still just two points off the drop zone and three off rock bottom.

So the win on the weekend has by no means made a huge difference in what is needed from the Whites over the coming weeks, however, it will have felt like a big win before the break.

Had they gone into the break on the back of another loss, there could well have been a lot of concerns still lingering around the club's future.

But the impressive victory against Wolves will have certainly relieved some of the tension surrounding the club.

Two wins and one defeat from his opening four Premier League games will have also gone some way to easing the pressure on the players who have shown some signs of being able to salvage their top-flight status.

Leeds' remaining fixtures certainly offer up a mixture in the quality of their opponents, but they do face five of their relegation rivals in the remaining weeks.

And if this Leeds side have shown anything under Gracia, it has been their ability to beat the teams around them having already taken six points from Southampton and Wolves.

Everton have reclaimed a certain feel-good feeling around the club of late, with Sean Dyche being the first in a long line of managers to not only show competence in his role but also have that connection with the fanbase.

The straight-talking manager joined late in January, and as such had little time to make any additions to a squad that seemed destined for relegation.

Therefore, in arguably one of his greatest accomplishments to date, he offered a fresh start to all within the squad. Since then, forgotten characters like Abdoulaye Doucoure and Michael Keane have emerged as dependable assets who are now playing key roles in their revival.

This unprecedented positivity around Goodison Park was short-lived though, as it was recently announced that the club was being referred to an independent commission over alleged financial breaches.

Although this was expected, it came as a startling message to many fans, who theorised potential punishments for a decision that will not be made for some time.

However, given his erratic nature, it could spur Farhad Moshiri into more sales to try and tip the scales back further in his favour. Having already sold Anthony Gordon for £45m in January, with none of the funds reinvested, he could do so again this summer with one of the aforementioned reborn assets.

Who wants to sign Michael Keane?

Having been signed for £30m back in 2017, and one of many big expenditures that have landed them in such a predicament, Keane has endured a tough career on Merseyside.

Despite featuring 193 times for the Toffees, the 30-year-old has often struggled to grow into the domineering defender expected of him. Part of a summer of vast reinvestment, there was a desire that he would underpin a back four to lead them into Europe.

However, having slowly fallen down in the pecking order, his recent run of games offers hope that perhaps other clubs might be once again tempted to sign the 6 foot 3 stalwart just as Ronald Koeman was.

With Italian side Salernitana reportedly already an interested party, recouping any of the initial fee paid after years of underperformance would mark a huge success.

This campaign has seen him record a 6.64 average rating, but that somewhat undervalues his mammoth 6.2 clearances per game. For a Dyche outfit scrapping for every point, this is sustainable. For a team that has visions of climbing the table and competing with the best, his style is not.

Journalist Richard Buxton last season even suggested that: "No matter how much longer Everton persevere with Michael Keane, he’ll continue to cost them an abundance of points each season. A genuine defensive liability."

Perhaps the club could capitalise on this recent interest by offloading in the summer, with his inspired defensive performances of late hopefully driving up the price that could dig them out of their financial hole.

Arsenal were dealt a hammer blow in their Europa League clash with Sporting CP last month, not only as they exited the competition on penalties, but as William Saliba was forced off with an injury.

The Frenchman had been ever-present at the back for Mikel Arteta alongside Gabriel Magalhaes, with the two having featured in every Premier League game before his enforced absence.

However, the 22-year-old has now missed their last three games and his return date remains unknown.

As such, Rob Holding has had to deputise in his absence, much to the worry of fans.

For someone who had not made a single start in the league all season to instantly have such pressure heaped upon him was a big ask, but in their wins over Leeds United and Crystal Palace, the 27-year-old 'deputised well' in the words of Goal's Mark Doyle.

However, in what was his toughest test yet at Anfield, the defender looked hopelessly out of his depth. Surrendering a two-goal lead to draw 2-2, it marked a vital two points dropped that could have been even more not for the heroics of Aaron Ramsdale.

How did Rob Holding play vs Liverpool?

Starting in his third successive league match, his 6.3 Sofascore rating was the lowest of any who started for the Gunners that afternoon.

This was a figure largely upheld by his lazy challenge on Diogo Jota, which conceded a penalty. Fortunately for him, Mohammed Salah shot wide, but it only heaped further pressure onto a side that was struggling to contain the rampant hosts.

Journalist Josh Bunting even labelled the act “clumsy”, lambasting him for the “gift” he had presented to the Reds.

This was not all that Holding would perpetrate, as the £40k-per-week dud also made an error that led to a shot, as well as losing five of the nine duels he competed in, as per Sofascore.

Not only was the stalwart defensively lacking, but his lack of competence on the ball often led them into compromising situations. The former Bolton Wanderers ace maintained an underwhelming 73% pass accuracy, and just four of his 12 long balls attempted hit the mark.

Perhaps this gives credence to the fact that Arteta should now abandon his failing experiment, and instead start his £20m January signing Jakub Kiwior.

The Polish defender was brought in to bolster their back four for such an occasion as this Saliba injury, yet the Spanish boss seems intent on omitting his new purchase

With this recent Holding disasterclass, perhaps the manager might have had his hand forced for the coming weeks until his starting centre-back returns.

أكد حسام عاشور لاعب فريق النادي الأهلي الأسبق أنه كان يتمنى تجديد تعاقده مع القلعة الحمراء من أجل أن تحقيق رقم قياسي كأكثر لاعب حاصل على بطولات، كاشفًا ما دار بينه وبين محمود الخطيب رئيس مجلس الإدارة قبل رحيله.

وقال عاشور: “كنت أتمنى أن يُجدد الأهلي تعاقدي لمدة سنة لكي أصبح أكثر لاعب في العالم تحقيقًا للبطولات، وهذا ما قلته لمجلس الإدارة حتى إذا لم ألعب بصفة أساسية، وكان وقتها رينيه فايلر هو من يتولى الإدارة الفنية”.

عبد الحفيظ: أخشى على الأهلي في السوبر المصري.. وبيراميدز “أمنية حياته” التتويج ببطولة

وأضاف في تصريحات تلفزيونية بفضائية “dmc” عبر برنامج “الكابتن”: “عقدت جلسة مع سيد عبد الحفيظ مدير الكرة حينذاك لأنه كان لدي 36 بطولة، والبرازيلي داني ألفيس كان لديه 40 بطولة، وكنت أطمح في تخطي رقمه”.

وشدد: “وبالفعل، الأهلي حصد هذا الموسم 5 بطولات، إذ كنت جددت كنت سأصبح أكثر لاعب في العالم يحصد بطولات”.

وكشف: “جلست مع محمود الخطيب، ولكن عادة الأهلي أن المدرب هو من يُقرر، وقال لي الخطيب حينها إن فايلر لا يوافق على تجديدي سنة، جمهور الأهلي كان يقف بجانبي”.

وواصل: “أما عن تصريحاتي التي أزعجت مسؤولي الأهلي، فوقتها كنت غاضبًا وأشعر أنني لا أستحق ما حدث، وارد أن أكون قد أخطأت، واعتذرت للكابتن الخطيب وجمهور الأهلي الذي ساندني، كل واحد يخطيء، لكن إذا أرتكب إبنك خطأ لن تذبحه، ولكن كل الإحترام والتقدير لمجلس إدارة الأهلي هذه سياستهم”.

واستكمل: “لم يتواصل معي أحد من مجلس الإدارة بعد تلك التصريحات، ولكن ذهبت للنادي بعد أن طلبت مني نجلتي أن أدخل النادي”.

واستطرد: “لعبت في الأهلي 23 سنة، لم أفتعل أزمة طوال حياتي، أتمنى أن ينظم لي الأهلي مباراة اعتزال، لو النادي طلب ذلك يُشرفني”.

وأتم: “وارد أن يكون إمام عاشور حظى بمساندة من داخل النادي الأهلي عكس ما حدث لي ولكن ما أسعدني تعليقات جمهور الأهلي الذين طالبوا بعودتي، وأنا كما قلت مع قرارات مجلس إدارة النادي في أي شيء يراه”.