Eddie Howe says Newcastle captain Bruno Guimaraes could be back from a hamstring injury to face Bournemouth, after more than two months out. Guimaraes, who is Newcastle’s top scorer in the Premier League this season with nine goals, has been pushing to come back as soon as possible, Howe told reporters on Friday. This just in from Reuters:

“The medical team are trying to hold him back ... I say hold him back, there’s always that tug because the player is desperate to play and I love that with Bruno,” the manager said. “I’ll make a decision based on what I see in training today, but there is a chance.“

The Brazil midfielder’s form before his injury has sparked media speculation of a potential move to Real Madrid or Manchester United in the close season. Newcastle’s England forward Anthony Gordon, who has 10 goals in the Champions League this season, has also been linked with several clubs, including Bayern Munich, Liverpool and Arsenal. But Howe said he wanted players fully committed to the club and Newcastle’s future despite the transfer talk around them.

“The biggest thing I look for is the commitment to training ... I won’t play a player if I don’t think they are 100% committed to the club and its future. I’m not talking about Anthony here, I’m talking generally across the board,” he said. “When they’re high profile, like the ones we have here, they’re in the news all the time for lots of different reasons. It comes with the territory. You have to adjust and adapt to it, and try to play to your best level with the noise around you. I don’t think you get to this level without the ability to do that. I don’t think any player can use that as an excuse towards lower performances. The lads internally aren’t.”

Good news for Arsenal! They are still favourites to win the league, says Oliver Hopkins of Opta Analyst, and here’s why:

Hello everyone! Let’s get the ball rolling with an update from Andoni Iraola’s press conference ahead of Bournemouth’s trip to Newcastle. Here’s PA Media:

Andoni Iraola insists his decision to leave Bournemouth was “not about any other club”.

The 43-year-old’s impending departure was announced on Tuesday following three years with the south coast side. His contract was set to expire in the summer and, following reports linking him with other clubs including Athletic Bilbao, Iraola revealed he does not know what his next move will be.

“The decision was not about any other club. There has been no other club involved, it was about continuing here or not continuing here,” he said. “I don’t know what I’m going to do next season. I don’t know if I’m going to coach a team, a club, coach a national team, coach in this continent, I’m not going to coach. I have no idea what’s going to happen.

“I don’t have any rush to know it. I’ve taken a big decision for me now in this moment. Now I want to focus on what will happen in these six games. It’ll be massive for us. There’s going to be time to think, if we have to think, on something else.”

Andoni steered the Cherries to a ninth-placed Premier League finish last season and they are currently 11th with six games left in this campaign. Speaking ahead of Saturday’s trip to Newcastle, Iraola added: “It has been a decision that has taken me a lot of time to take, it hasn’t been a clear decision.

“Always during this process, this season, I’ve been talking to the club about the situations, they were very aware this could happen. There is not always one main reason. The decision I’ve taken is because probably I don’t want to risk the feeling I have right now of satisfaction of these three seasons.

“You try to envision yourself in a possible fourth season, a possible fifth season and everything costs more. We as human beings get tired of watching the same phases. I suppose I decided this was the right moment to put an end to this journey that for me has been really special.”

Right that’s the end of my short stint. Simon Burnton is here to take the reins through Friday lunchtime and beyond.

Northampton Town had their relegation from League One confirmed earlier this week, but the club have just revealed they have signed an early agreement with a new group of investors.

The club’s chair, Kelvin Thomas, said “We have been very open for a while about the need for fresh investment and have been working hard behind the scenes to hopefully make that happen.

“We are excited as we feel we have found the right group of people to support the club going forward who are very football focused and are excited about the potential. If this process is ultimately successful, we expect the club will be debt free which is a goal we have always hoped for.”

Colin Calderwood has been in temporary charge of the Cobblers of late, but the new investment group is expected to appoint a new permanent manager, most likely at the end of the season.

This bonkers football match happened exactly a year ago today. Enjoy it, if you can stand the pure chaos of it all. Robbie Savage’s “I told ya!” is particularly brilliant at the end.

A few media outlets are pointing out that if Manchester City v Arsenal finishes 1-1 on Sunday – matching the score at the Emirates earlier in the season – it opens up the possibility that the title could go to a play-off.

It remains hugely unlikely because it would mean City catching up the required points, finishing level with Arsenal, and the teams also being equal in terms of goal difference and goals scored. They are only one goal apart in terms of output, with the Gunners holding the advantage by four on goal difference.

But just imagine …

You can always count on The Guardian’s Paul Campbell to serve up the goods when it comes to quiz and this is a solid one. Very happy with my score of 12/15.

Have a go.

Forgive me for getting giddy about football … but De Zerbi’s Spurs taking on Brighton at 5.30pm on Saturday, then Chelsea v Manchester United at 8pm later the same night, before the Merseyside derby and Manchester City v Arsenal on Sunday … this weekend should be a real treat.

Howe must also be perturbed that so many of his players are being linked with moves away from Newcastle.

Stories this week suggest Anthony Gordon is the latest to become disgruntled, joining Sandro Tonali, Lewis Hall and Bruno Guimarães as a possible departee from St James’s Park this summer. (Although they surely will not all be sold)

“I don’t necessarily address transfer speculation unless it gets to the point that I feel I have to,” said Howe, addressing the transfer speculation.

“After I had the chat with Sandro, the biggest thing I look for is the commitment to training. That will be the same with Anthony and every player. I won’t play a player if I don’t think they are 100% committed to the club and its future. I have to do what I think is right for the team.”

All eyes, then, on whether Gordon is included in the starting lineup against Bournemouth.

Eddie Howe has come out fighting in his press conference this morning, saying Newcastle are feeling “angry” and want that winning feeling back, after a run of just one victory in their past six in all competitions.

We need that feeling back. It’s been too long. We’re desperate to win and play well. This week we have had a mix of emotions. We had the disappointing result against Crystal Palace and there was a bit of anger, all those emotions which can be really positive for you, so we’ve tried to use them.

There haven’t been too many smiling faced around the training ground but I think the feeling is one of steely determination to put it right. It’s been a strange year in terms of the Premier League table, it’s been very tight all season. We need a run of wins that we’ve needed all season. We can still end up with a really successful season so that has to be our aim.

All is seemingly not well at Newcastle, who are ending their season with a whimper as Eddie Howe prepares to welcome his former club, Bournemouth, to St James’s Park on Saturday. The spectre of Andoni Iraola – to leave the Cherries in a month or so – is one of a few looming large over Howe right now.

Louise Taylor wrote this piece on Howe’s future on Tyneside as the grumbling gets ever louder.

Thanks Dave. I’ll begin my stint with some Newcastle news/chat …

It’s time now to hand the blog over. Take it away, Dominic Booth.

The two members of the Iran football team who remained in Australia after the Women’s Asian Cup are beginning their new lives away from the spotlight, even if their dream is to return to elite football. Here’s Jack Snape on the story of Fatemeh Pasandideh and Atefeh Ramezanisadeh, who issued a statement on Friday saying they “respectfully ask” for “privacy and space”.

The slight consolation for Liverpool and Slot is that Alexander Isak is back in action again after the fibula fracture he suffered against Spurs in December. The Swedish striker has had minutes in both quarter-final legs against PSG and the home win over Fulham last weekend although the Reds are being careful with their record signing’s comeback. Here’s Slot.

It’s a good thing we signed two number nines. Lots of people were debating why we signed two, but now it looks like a good idea. Now people are saying we should sign another in the summer!

Someone said to me the day after [the Ekitike injury] that you cannot write the script that on the day Alex is back on first start the other leaves the pitch with a long-term injury.

Even more a good thing that Alex is back but wouldn’t be the first time I didn’t have someone available in a certain position, such as right-back. Alex, we know, is not ready to play 90 yet.

Talking of right-back, Slot has confirmed that Joe Gomez will miss the trip to Everton due to the injury which forced him off against PSG.

Liverpool boss Arne Slot has been speaking ahead of Sunday’s Merseyside derby. Here he is on Hugo Ekitike’s Achilles tendon injury which has ruled the Frenchman out for the rest of the season and this summer’s World Cup.

He hasn’t been operated on yet. Devastating for him coming to a new club having so much impact straight away. Playing against your former club in the Champions League quarter-final with so much to come for him in the summer.

My first thoughts are with him being out for such a long time, missing out on so many special moments. But it is not the first and not the last player who experienced something like this at the start of their career, and there are so many examples of players coming back even stronger.

Hundred per cent he will be one of those say maybe this injury makes me even more strong and more ready to play at an even higher level.

Back to Europe for a bit and let’s confirm the last teams standing. These are the potential finals:

Champions League
PSG/Bayern v Arsenal/Atletico Madrid

Europa League
Aston Villa/Nottingham Forest v SC Freiburg/Braga

Conference League
Crystal Palace/Shakhtar Donetsk v Rayo Vallecano/Strasbourg

Manchester City v Arsenal will attract incredible worldwide viewing figures. Ahead of Sunday’s showdown at the Etihad, John Duerden has been talking to Gunners fans from around the globe. It seems there’s panic on the streets of Thailand ahead of the trip to Manchester.

Arsenal are six points clear in the Premier League and into the semi-finals of the Champions League. And yet, in cricketing terms, they seem not to be going for their shots anymore, trying to get over the line by nudging singles. Has Geoff Boycott given his approval to such a method? Boycs, confusingly, supports Manchester United so probably isn’t the man to ask. Much of the negativity around the Gunners centres around style though and clamming up at this crucial stage of the season could backfire. Here’s Rob Draper with a look at how Mikel Arteta and Pep Guardiola are taking different paths despite both being disciples of Johan Cruyff.

No doubt which game takes top billing this weekend. Let’s start with some Manchester City v Arsenal build-up in our Premier League: 10 things to look out for column. Here’s how Jamie Jackson frames it:

“If Arsenal are victorious, they motor back to London with a nine-point advantage and the 22-year wait for the title is surely over. If City win, then it is time to break out the popcorn as the title race will surely go down to the wire.”

After taking just five points from the last 42 available, Tottenham are heading towards relegation. Can new boss Roberto De Zerbi stop the ninth richest club in the world falling into the Championship? Harry Paterson from WhoScored examines their plight.

Crystal Palace will face Ukrainian side Shakhtar Donetsk for a place in the final of the Conference League. Here’s how the Eagles completed the job against Fiorentina in the quarter-finals.

Nottingham Forest have reached their first European semi-final for 42 years. It was a nervy night at the City Ground but Morgan Gibbs-White’s 12-minute strike proved just enough to get Forest past 10-man Porto. Villa up next.

Let’s start with Aston Villa cruising past Bologna. Ollie Watkins reached a couple of landmarks in the 4-0 win and perhaps gave Thomas Tuchel a nudge.