Here are your Newcastle United evening headlines for Friday, February 26.
Bruce holds relegation confidence
Steve Bruce says that Newcastle are in a relegation scrap but believes his team are good enough to get out of it.
Fulham earned seven points from nine last week to close the gap to the Magpies to just three points.
It leaves Newcastle fans worried for the future of the team, with many calling for Bruce to be sacked. But the Newcastle boss is confident that he and his team can turn their fortunes around.
"It's the tickly part of the season and I always say when the daffodils are up, it's the sign that the real crux part of the season is upon us," he said in his press conference.
"If you are at the bottom end, which we are, unfortunately... Can we finish above the six or seven? That is the aim and I am quietly confident we can do that. Everybody says it is just Newcastle and Fulham but there are others."
Shearer reveals takeover talks
Alan Shearer revealed that he has been contacted by previous consortiums looking to launch a Newcastle takeover.
The Newcastle legend remains well connected at the club and would be a coup for any group that wanted to get Newcastle fans on their side. And the club's record goalscorer admitted that he had held talks in the past.
"Kevin Keegan talked about this in our recent interview and the same sort of thing has happened to me," he said in a Q&A with The Athletic.
"Over the years, people claiming to be buying the club or exploring the possibility have got in contact and asked if I would be interested, but there’s never been anything concrete behind it.
"I don’t really take any of them seriously. What I would like is to hear nothing more until a takeover actually happens. A change of ownership would be better for everyone."
When Callum Wilson may return
Callum Wilson could be back in action after Newcastle's match against Brighton & Hove Albion, which would mean he is available for the final nine matches of the season.
Wilson suffered a hamstring issue in the 3-2 victory over Southampton earlier this month and was initially handed a six-to-eight-week timeframe for his recovery.
That would put Wilson's return right around the March international break, and Bruce, while hesitant to give a specific return date, hopes that Wilson could be back in time for the home match against Tottenham Hotspur immediately following the break.
"We hope so. we cannot put a specific date on it, because it's a muscle injury," he said in his press conference.
"We have to be really careful."
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