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Newcastle United are back in action away to West Ham United in the Premier League this evening, with the Magpies having made a fine return from international duty after beating Manchester United last weekend.

That commanding, 2-0 win saw goals from Joe Willock and Callum Wilson prove the difference against a lacklustre Old Trafford outfit, with Eddie Howe's men having surged into third place with the battle for Champions League football now hotting up.

The Tynesiders will be hoping to maintain that momentum against the relegation-threatened Hammers later today, with the two sides having previously played out a 1-1 draw in the reverse fixture at St James' Park back in February.

Ahead of the trip to the London Stadium, there are believed to be doubts surrounding the fitness of the aforementioned Willock with the Englishman sustaining a hamstring issue on Sunday, while both Miguel Almiron and Emil Krafth remain long-term absentees.

With that in mind, Football FanCast has predicted how the northeast side could line up against David Moyes' men tonight.

What will Newcastle's starting XI be against West Ham?

4-3-3 – (GK) Pope; (RB) Trippier, (CB) Schar, (CB) Botman, (LB) Burn; (CDM) Guimaraes, (CM) Longstaff, (CM) Joelinton; (RW) Gordon, (LW) Saint-Maximin, (ST) Wilson.

We predict that there could be three alterations from the side that powered past the Red Devils just a few days ago, albeit with Howe likely to keep faith with his tried and trusted defensive unit, having conceded the fewest goals in the division this season.

As for the midfield, the potential concern surrounding the stricken Willock could see a return to the starting lineup for influential Brazilian, Joelinton, with the 26-year-old having only been involved off the bench last time out after serving a two-game suspension prior to that.

The most notable changes could seemingly lie in the forward line, with fleet-footed Frenchman, Allan Saint-Maximin potentially the only figure to keep his place after looking "back to his best" against Erik ten Hag's side, according to Northern Echo's Scott Wilson.

On the other flank, Jacob Murphy could make way for January arrival Anthony Gordon, with the young 6-foot "game-changer" – as described by himself – having looked 'dangerous' during his lively cameo at the weekend, in the words of the Chronicle's Lee Ryder.

The final attacking berth could well be taken up by Sunday's goalscorer, Wilson, with the England international's stellar record of ten goals in just 12 games against today's opponents potentially set to see him take the place of Alexander Isak through the middle.

Graham Potter was sacked by Chelsea on Sunday and Todd Boehly isn’t hanging around when it comes to finding an ideal successor for the Englishman.

What’s the latest Chelsea manager news?

Fabrizio Romano tweeted shortly after Potter's departure was announced that Nagelsmann is the “favourite candidate” to replace the former Brighton boss at the Stamford Bridge helm.

The journalist went on to explain that Nagelsmann was “mentioned yesterday during internal discussions” suggesting that he is the man Boehly wants at the club.

This comes just days after the German claimed that taking over at Tottenham Hotspur could harm his career according to Football Insider. As such, this may give the Blues a better chance of convincing him to join.

Will Julian Nagelsmann join Chelsea?

It would take a momentous offer to persuade the 35-year-old to move to the Premier League, especially after his recent surprising sacking by Bayern Munich, but it could very well happen, with Chelsea having the right infrastructure and squad to challenge for trophies.

He started his managerial career at 1899 Hoffenheim at the tender age of 28, having coached various youth teams following his decision to retire aged just 20, and it looks as though it turned out to be an inspired move.

The young tactician led Hoffenheim to top-four finishes in his first two seasons and qualification for the Champions League before joining RB Leipzig in 2019.

He continued to break records, becoming the youngest manager to win a Champions League knockout tie at just 32 years old with that seeing him dubbed a “mini-Mourinho” by journalist Martin Laurence.

The great Portuguese, of course, won the same competition as a young mastermind and if Nagelsmann can replicate his feats at Chelsea should he be appointed, it will prove to be a stroke of genius by Boehly.

Despite winning three trophies at Bayern, the Bavarian giants are in a rare title race this term and it appears to have cost the 35-year-old his job.

That said, across 243 Bundesliga games, he has averaged 1.86 points per match and his experience at managing a European superpower under immense pressure shouldn’t faze him.

On the other hand, the job was an entirely unfamiliar feeling for Potter and perhaps was a step too far for the Englishman.

Chelsea need a manager who won't shy away from the challenge of winning major honours and with BBC Sport writer Raj Chohan describing the former Bayern boss as having an “evil genius concept in his head” he could be the Mourinho-like figure to revive Chelsea.

Indeed, if Boehly wants to get the club back to the Champions League while challenging for domestic honours again, maybe an ‘evil genius’ is exactly what he needs.

Everton midfielder James Garner could make his first start for the Toffees in the near future, according to an update from journalist Paul Brown.

How has Garner fared at Everton?

The 22-year-old moved to Goodison Park during last summer's transfer window, leaving Manchester United after the Red Devils were unable to guarantee him regular playing time. He has had a frustrating time of things at Everton, however, with injuries hindering his playing time significantly.

In total, Garner has only made eight Premier League appearances this season, all of which have come from the substitutes' bench, totalling just 175 minutes of action. The midfielder is therefore still searching for his maiden start in Everton colours, but he has featured since returning from injury, making cameo appearances against Tottenham and his former club.

With Sean Dyche's side preparing to host Fulham in a must-win game on Saturday afternoon, it could be that the young midfielder is finally given a chance to shine from the start.

Could James Garner start against Fulham?

Speaking to GiveMeSport, Brown stated that he was of the opinion that he expects a start to come Garner's way sooner rather than later:

"I think Dyche has used Garner quite a lot, really. It's mainly been him and [Tom] Davies coming off the bench in recent games, giving them a bit of fresh legs – a slightly better passing option, perhaps.

"I think it's quite likely that he ends up starting a game or a few games before the end of the season. Simply because the three that have been in there most of the campaign have played a lot of minutes, and you'd expect them to wear down slightly before the end of the season.

"It wouldn't surprise me at all to see Garner starting soon."

This is a big decision for Dyche to make regarding Garner, with the midfielder clearly a talented footballer – Roy Keane has claimed he is "very good technically" – but also someone lacking experience, especially ahead of such a crucial run of fixtures this season.

It could make the most sense for Everton to continue with Amadou Onana and Idrissa Gueye in the middle of the park against Fulham, as was the case at United last weekend – with Garner used as an impact substitute in the second half, especially if some creativity is required to change the game. Should he shine from the bench once more, it could then be time to give him a go from the start – particularly if the Toffees grow more desperate for points.

Tottenham manager target Julian Nagelsmann and his agents have ‘reached out’ to Spurs and are ready for talks, according to journalist Graeme Bailey.

What’s the latest on Nagelsmann to Spurs?

The 35-year-old is one of a few young, exciting managers who Spurs are targeting to replace Antonio Conte – with Burnley boss Vincent Kompany and Sporting Lisbon’s Ruben Amorim among the others.

Chairman Daniel Levy, after his side were embarrassed at Newcastle United on Sunday, make the big call to sack interim head coach Cristian Stellini – replacing him with Ryan Mason until the end of this Premier League campaign.

The result dealt Spurs a huge blow in the race for Champions League qualification, with rivals Man United and the Magpies both significantly out in front of Mason’s men with games in hand. Pressure is growing on Levy to nail his next decision, and it’s a big one – who will be Tottenham’s next manager.

Two big name free agent managers who have been heavily linked with a move to N17 lately are Nagelsmann and former Barcelona boss Luis Enrique. Both names could be attractive to supporters who want the return of attacking football and a coach with trophy-winning pedigree.

Nagelsmann has been mooted as a top target this month, with reporter Bailey sharing news on Twitter and in a collaborative 90min article with Tom Gott.

The journalist claims, in a big boost for Spurs, that the former Bayern Munich boss’ camp have ‘reached out’ to Tottenham with Nagelsmann now ready to speak with them over the manager role.

He explained:

Should Spurs go for Nagelsmann?

With Pochettino out of the picture, it makes perfect sense to throw the kitchen sink at trying to persuade Nagelsmann.

The former RB Leipzig boss was shockingly dismissed by Bayern, recently despite the Bavarians fighting on all fronts at the time, opening the door for Spurs to tempt him with an England move.

BBC Sport Writer Raj Chohan called Nagelsmann a ‘phenomenal’ tactical innovator after one of his Bayern solutions recently, stating:

“Switching to a 3 CB system to help solve Kimmich’s isolation issues in midfield as a lone 6, is another example of Nagelsmann being a phenomenal tactical innovator.”

This could be the kind of name needed at Spurs amid a very uncertain time.

Everton goalkeeper Jordan Pickford "can leave" in the summer should the club get relegated from the Premier League, according to CBS reporter and journalist Ben Jacobs.

What's the latest on Pickford's future?

The England international first arrived at Goodison Park in July 2017 and has since gone on to establish himself as the first-choice shot-stopper between the sticks having made 231 appearances to date, and he has only continued to impress since the arrival of Sean Dyche.

Back in February, the Toffees talisman signed a new long-term deal which keeps him at the club for at least another four years, but with him currently pocketing £125k-per-week, making him the highest earner in the squad, the board will be aware that their most prized assets will have to be sold to free up the wage bill should they fail to avoid the drop at the end of the season.

Reports have claimed Tottenham Hotspur have identified the 29-year-old as their number one target to replace Hugo Lloris during the upcoming window with a £35m price tag having been placed on his head, though it's worth noting that this could decrease even further should relegation occur.

According to Jacobs (via CaughtOffside), Everton are indeed in danger of losing the services of Pickford as a result of an in-house agreement being in place, with Ryan Mason's side very much in pole position to sign him. He said:

“I still wouldn’t rule out a Premier League club moving for Jordan Pickford, even though he’s signed a new deal until 2027 with no relegation clause in it. There is still an informal agreement if Everton go down that Pickford can leave. Spurs were always a frontrunner, but we’ll have to wait and see now what their new manager thinks.”

Should Everton keep or sell Pickford?

Pickford has undoubtedly been one of Everton's standout performers over the years having kept 61 clean sheets in 231 appearances at Goodison Park, and with his form for England also having seen him dubbed a "monster" by journalist Joe Crann, Dyche needs to do everything he can to retain his side's top-flight status and hang on to his goalkeeper.

The Puma-sponsored athlete has recorded 108 saves from 154 shots on target against this season and provides a strong outlet with his range of passing from the back, having completed 141 of 142 short passes and 214 of 218 medium passes since the start of the current term, as per FBRef.

Finally, Pickford has twice been the recipient of Everton's Player of the Year award which just goes to show how much he's appreciated and individually recognised for his efforts by the supporters, so even the thought of losing him will be a huge blow.

Chelsea target Romeo Lavia could be a key player under Mauricio Pochettino if both end up crossing paths at Stamford Bridge, according to journalist Dean Jones.

What's the latest news involving Romeo Lavia and Mauricio Pochettino?

As per Football Insider, Chelsea are keen on bringing in Southampton midfielder Lavia to west London and he has 'jumped to top of their summer signing shortlist'.

The report states that Lavia is expected to depart St Mary's Stadium in the off-season regardless if the Saints stay up or suffer relegation to the Sky Bet Championship, with a fee in the region of £45 million believed to be enough to entice the 19-year-old away from the South Coast.

Transfer guru Fabrizio Romano has given an update on Lavia's future on Twitter and has detailed that Manchester City have a buyback option inserted into his contract, stating: "Man City £40m buyback clause, valid in 2024. Chelsea [wanted him last summer] and Arsenal [still keen on Caicedo too] among clubs interested – Southampton hope to keep him."

Due to the fact Lavia's clause doesn't apply until 2024, 90min claim Southampton are willing to sanction his departure in the forthcoming transfer window to maximise their potential profit on him.

If Lavia ends up at Chelsea, he could link up with former Tottenham Hotspur boss Mauricio Pochettino, who is expected to take over at Stamford Bridge.

Speaking to Football FanCast, journalist Jones believes that Lavia's attributes are similar to former Tottenham Hotspur midfielder Mousa Dembele, who Pochettino spent five successful years with in north London.

Jones told FFC: "He was signed from Fulham and continued to establish himself as one of the smartest midfielders in the game.

"The signing of Romeo Lavia from Southampton would pretty perfectly fit the bill in this sense and that is helpful – because he is already on their watchlist for a summer transfer."

How has Romeo Lavia faired statistically for Southampton this season?

Lavia has earned regular minutes this campaign for Southampton and has been a standout performer despite their struggles in the Premier League.

Across the season, the Belgium international has made 30 appearances in all competitions for the Saints, registering one goal and one assist, as per Transfermarkt.

WhoScored also notes that Lavia has maintained an average pass accuracy of 86.4% in the Premier League, demonstrating his capacity to take the ball in tight areas and rarely lose possession.

Whether he could be Pochettino's version of Dembele is one thing; however, Lavia is certainly someone with a lot of potential and could help to freshen up a stagnating engine room at Chelsea.

Wolverhampton Wanderers moved ten points clear of the bottom three and are now on the verge of securing their place in the Premier League for another season after their 1-0 win over Aston Villa on Saturday.

Julen Lopetegui has now won four of his last six matches in charge of the club and the Spaniard is on course to save the side from dropping down to the Championship next season.

The ex-Real Madrid coach replaced Bruno Lage, who had won one of his eight games at the helm at the start of the campaign, and has enjoyed a steady, if unspectacular, debut year with Wolves.

Whilst Lage was rightly relieved of his duties for the disastrous start to the season, the Portuguese boss did enjoy some success with the club and one of his best moves was bringing through young defender Toti Gomes, who scored the winning goal against Villa.

The youngster, who joined from Estoril Praia in 2020, had not made his first-team bow prior to the 46-year-old's arrival at the start of the 2021/22 campaign and worked his way into the manager's plans before making five appearances in the senior side that term.

Toti made his debut in January 2022 and FootballTransfers placed his Expected Transfer Value (xTV) at €400k (£355k) by February of that year.

How much is Toti Gomes worth?

At the time of writing (07/05/2023), FootballTransfers now have his estimated value at €3.7m (£3.3m) and this means that Toti's value has rocketed up by 825% since the start of 2022.

This comes after the defender's emergence as a regular first-team option this season in the Premier League. He has made 14 appearances, and been in the matchday squad for 25 games, and proved himself to be a solid performer.

Toti has averaged a Sofascore rating of 6.91 in the top-flight in 2022/23 – winning 52% of his duels and completing 82% of his attempted passes, which shows that the 24-year-old has been reliable in and out of possession.

Only Ruben Neves (7.28) has averaged a higher rating than the former Portugal U20 international in the Wolves squad and the enforcer could use his experience this season as a springboard to propel himself into being a regular starter next term.

Conor Coady once described the £5k-per-week ace as a "cracking" person and a player who is "improving" every day, which suggests that Toti has the mentality and ability to continue to develop in the months and years to come.

Therefore, Wolves have unearthed a gem in the Portuguese warrior and Lage should be thanked for the huge role he played in identifying the youngster's potential in 2021/22, as his value and status has soared since.

Wolverhampton Wanderers have had a difficult season that has been turned around by Julen Lopetegui.

The Spanish coach took over from Bruno Lage when Wolves were bottom of the table, and with three games to go, his side are safe from relegation and already looking ahead to next season.

As this thrilling campaign draws to a close, the summer transfer window awaits, as Lopetegui will have his chance to put his stamp on the squad he took over from both Lage and Nuno Santo prior.

The Midlands side have been linked with a number of both potentially inbound and outbound players ahead of the summer, with the future of Ruben Neves a question that will likely be answered at the end of the season.

It has been rumoured that one of the Championship’s most highly-rated players could make the move to Molineux, in a deal that could see the Portuguese captain’s heir arrive in Wolverhampton.

19-year-old Bristol City midfielder Alex Scott has been a name lauded in the country’s second division this season.

Described by Pep Guardiola as an “unbelievable player” following Manchester City’s FA Cup clash against Bristol City, the youngster is on the watch list for a host of clubs this summer.

Transfer expert Dean Jones told GIVEMESPORT revealed earlier this year that a number of Premier League clubs have been eyeing the starlet, including Tottenham Hotspur, Everton, Newcastle United and Wolves.

City have placed a £30m price tag on the budding English talent, who has been a vital cog in their squad this campaign.

What could Alex Scott bring to Wolves?

The young central midfielder ranks in his club’s top ten performers this season, averaging a Sofascore match rating of 6.83 in the Championship.

Just a teenager, the Guernsey-born star has made 42 appearances in the league, cementing himself as a key member of Nigel Pearson’s set-up and a player attracting Premier League interest.

With Ruben Neves’ future in doubt, Scott could prove to be Loptegui’s natural successor to the Portuguese should he depart.

The two bear a host of similarities in their roles for their respective squads, with the second-tier star hitting numbers close to Neves on average per game.

As per Sofascore, the Wolves midfielder averages 2.3 tackles per match, as well as maintaining a passing accuracy rate of 84%. Scott follows closely to the 26-year-old, with a 79% pass rate and making an average of 1.8 tackles a game.

The Wolves captain is famed for his ability going forward too, and Bristol’s number 7 has been efficient in attack as well as sitting back in midfield, registering four assists this season in comparison to Neves’ single assist.

The Wolves skipper has made 174 appearances in the Premier League during his stay in the Midlands, so typically his numbers would rate higher. The slim differences between the two, however, highlight the potential that Scott has in his game, and with his age comes a vast area to grow.

Praised by his current boss Pearson, Scott was called a “versatile and promising” player with a lot of “football intelligence.” That final ringing endorsement is certainly similar to Neves who boasts an excellent football brain.

Only time will tell if Lopetegui can seal the deal with a host of competitors battling for the midfielder, but he could be a true heir to Wolves’ expectedly departing captain.

Incoming Chelsea manager Mauricio Pochettino "would love" Mason Mount to stay put this summer, according to a fresh update regarding his future.

Is Mason Mount leaving Chelsea?

The 24-year-old has been a great servant for the Blues, becoming such a key man in recent years having worked his way up through the academy. This season has been arguably his most disappointing at Stamford Bridge to date, with injuries and a loss of form affecting him, but he has still managed to score three goals and register two assists in the Premier League.

Mount's future has been an ongoing talking point, with the Englishman tipped to leave the club numerous times and a move to Liverpool looking the most likely. The Reds are looking to significantly bolster their midfield this summer and see the Chelsea man as an ideal signing.

His current Blues deal expires next year and he and the club haven't come close to reaching an agreement over an extension, with the terms clearly not to the player's liking. With Pochettino set to come in as the new boss at some point very soon, a significant update has emerged, though.

Could Pochettino persuade Mount to stay?

According to Football Insider, in what they describe as a "new twist", the Argentine is "set to sit down with midfield star Mason Mount in an attempt to persuade him to extend his contract", and "would love" to keep hold of him beyond the summer transfer window. That being said, he will reportedly "have no influence on the financial offer made to Mount by the Chelsea board", so there is only so much he can do.

The report also states that Chelsea are "no closer" to agreeing a new contract with the £80,000-a-week England international, so there is still lots of work to do with a player who has been called "outstanding" by Joe Cole.

In truth, it does still feel as though Mount is more likely to leave the Blues than stay put, with the midfielder seemingly not feeling fully valued by the terms of a possible new deal. Pochettino's influence could certainly help, given his man-management skills and the fact that he rates him as a player, but as mentioned, he can't do anything about the financial offer in place.

Losing Mount at just 24 would be a big blow for Chelsea, considering what he could potentially still achieve in his career, so the hope is that Pochettino's influence, coupled with an improved offer from the Blue, will see the No.19 remain in west London.

Wolverhampton Wanderers will host a relegation-threatened Everton side at Molineux in their penultimate Premier League clash this afternoon and Julen Lopetegui will surely be wanting to see out the final home game of the season on a high note.

The Spaniard's impact since arriving in the Midlands in November has been huge and ultimately transformed Wolves' season after finding themselves struggling to pick up points and fighting against relegation for the majority of the campaign.

Now the club sit 13th in the Premier League after several improved performances has secured them safety in the top flight and a victory in front of the unwavering home support today will further cement the faith in Lopetegui ahead of next season.

Indeed, the meeting with Sean Dyche's side will not be easy as the Toffees are teetering on the edge of the relegation zone and will be fighting for their lives on the pitch to ensure they can take the crucial points needed to join Wolves in surviving a drop into the Championship.

Wolves have taken all three points away from their last three league games against the Merseysiders, but after a 2-0 defeat to Manchester United last weekend, it could be an opportunity for Lopetegui to shake things up in the attacking threat with Hwang Hee-chan replacing Diego Costa in front of goal.

Will Hwang Hee-chan start against Everton?

It is fair to say that one of the biggest issues that Wolves have had this season is their lack of goal contributions, with no other team in the entire Premier League scoring fewer goals (30) this season.

Indeed, the Midlands outfit did make the effort to improve their presence in front of goal by signing former Chelsea star Costa on a free transfer in September, however, the Brazilian striker has failed to make the desired impact with just one goal scored so far and against Man United last weekend continued his uninspiring form.

Costa failed to have a single shot on or off target with just 22 touches of the ball over his 78-minute performance at Old Trafford, however, Hwang put on a much more lively cameo when he came off the bench for the second half.

The £30k-per-week South Korean dynamo – hailed "dangerous" by Kevin Campbell – delivered two shots on target, completed 100% of his dribbles and long balls, as well as making 13 accurate passes during his 45-minute display, warranting a much-deserved opportunity to start against Everton this afternoon.

Hwang has tallied up three goals and three assists over his 30 appearances in all competitions this season, but has only made ten starts in the top flight due to several injury troubles, which has ultimately hindered his ability to get a good run of form going in the team.

With that being said, Lopetegui essentially has nothing to lose by switching up his attack and making tweaks to his starting eleven this afternoon, but putting in the effort to improve upon last week's performance will be essential in proving his intent to get Wolves back to their winning ways next season.