Newcastle's England winger Anthony Gordon, 24, says he will not let transfer speculation affect him after being linked with Liverpool and Arsenal. (Sun), external
Manchester City's English goalkeeper James Trafford, 23, is prioritising a move to Aston Villa over Newcastle United this summer. (Football Insider), external
Want more transfer stories? Read Friday's full gossip column
Image source, Getty ImagesNewcastle's four-goal hero Anthony Gordon and captain Kieran Trippier insist an on-pitch spat has already been put behind them.
The pair exchanged words during Wednesday's 6-1 drubbing of Qarabag when Gordon - having already scored a hat-trick - refused Trippier's request that he hand over a penalty-kick to Nick Woltemade.
In the aftermath, Trippier joked both he and Gordon may need to don boxing gloves in training.
Speaking to TNT Sports, Trippier said: "Obviously Gordy had scored a hat-trick and I think about other players and I wanted Nick to take the penalty.
"But also he [Gordon] is our penalty-taker, so he wants to score goals, as everybody else does, but ultimately he's the penalty-taker.
"Listen in football, emotions are high on the pitch at times, but it is what it is. He scored four goals, he was unbelievable today and now we move on."
On Thursday, Trippier posted an image on Instagram of him and Gordon embracing after a goal.
It was a landmark night for 24-year-old Gordon as he scored his 14th goal in 36 outings in all competitions this season.
Ten of his goals have come in the Champions League, meaning he is just the second Englishman to reach double figures for goals in the competition in a season, after Harry Kane's 11 for Bayern Munich in 2024-25.
On his clash with Trippier, Gordon said: "Listen, I understand everyone's opinion because I want everyone to succeed. We're a team, we should be in it together.
"But I'm an attacker, I'm the penalty-taker, so I want to score as many goals as I possibly can. But understood everyone's opinion.
"Emotions do get high, but he [Trippier] is one of my closest team-mates, he has been since I joined the club. He's done so much for me, so he's all right."
Image source, Getty ImagesWe asked for your views on Newcastle's 6-1 win over Qarabag in the first leg of their Champions League knockout round play-off tie.
Here are some of your comments:
Jim: Qarabag were poor opposition. They made lots of mistakes that left the game open for us. Newcastle did well to take advantage of the situation. I felt Newcastle should have scored more. Gordon scored four but the team all did really well and everyone played their part.
John: An excellent performance. The change in Nick playing a deeper role has been eye-opening in the last two matches. seven English starters bodes well with two of international quality to come back. The future looks positive to say the least.
Barry: Brilliant night, so proud of the lads. Pope would normally have stopped their goal, but had probably gone cold with nothing to do. Elanga still nowhere near the standard of the rest of the team and the difference Murphy made in his place was massive. Well done also to all our travelling supporters! HWTL.
David: Even for his MOTM performance, please try this level in the Prem Mr Gordon.
Kristin: Well done Newcastle but the biggest cheer should be for every single NUFC supporter who went to Baku - you were heard well and truly, and you all deserved that win. Well done to you all.
Neil: At what stage does Eddie trust the squad? Yes, great win but three youth players, who could have gained so much from 30 minutes. But no, must play the core team with a game with Man City three days away.
Watch and listen to BBC Radio Newcastle's Simon Pryde and former Magpies defender John Anderson, as they react to Wednesday's dominant Champions League win over Qarabag, discuss Anthony Gordon's four-goal performance and look ahead to next week's second leg and the next round.
"All the hard work was done in the opening 45 minutes," said Anderson.
"It could have been so many more.
"You would say job done, Howe can rest players next week.
"The second half was just about keeping it simple and avoiding injury because we have a big game on Saturday against Manchester City.
"Every time we went forward in that first half you thought we were going to score. We can just look forward to next week now.
"Recent months have been tough on the manager and tough on the players but the reaction to the Brentford defeat has been first-class.
"They took a lot of criticism and a lot of stick but the way they reacted against Spurs, against Aston Villa and again tonight has been excellent. They have shown a great attitude."
Watch a clip of Ando above - and hit play below to hear the full conversation or listen on BBC Sounds here
Ciaran Kelly
Newcastle United reporter
Anthony Gordon had already scored a hat-trick.
But the ruthless Newcastle United forward only had one thought in his mind at the Tofig Bahramov Republican Stadium.
Gordon had just won his side a penalty against Qarabag in the first leg of their last 16 Champions League play-off tie, and he was not about to hand the ball over after Kieran Trippier felt Nick Woltemade should get a chance to take the spot-kick.
It brought back one or two memories of the single-mindedness of Newcastle's greatest goalscorer, Alan Shearer.
In fact, after already netting four goals against Sheffield Wednesday, in 1999, Shearer told striker Paul Robinson where to go after his team-mate asked him if he could take a spot-kick.
So it was rather fitting that this was a night where Gordon overtook the Newcastle legend as the club's all-time top scorer in the Champions League with 10 goals.
Qarabag, in truth, played right into Gordon's hands. The sight of the rapid Gordon playing further forward than Woltemade appeared to catch Qarabag a little cold.
By the time they finally readjusted, and dropped deeper in the second half, the damage had been done, as Match of the Day pundit Thomas Hitzlsperger noted.
"I have to say I was surprised by how high Qarabag defended, and how they kept a high line in the first half when the Newcastle goals were going in," said the former Aston Villa and Germany midfielder.
"I was thinking: 'Are they not watching Newcastle and their recent games?' Why did they allow so much space for Gordon, who was brilliant all evening?"
Gordon has impressed in such a role away from home in recent weeks - opening the scoring at Anfield last month and setting up Jacob Ramsey's winner against Spurs last week.
He gives Eddie Howe's side something different through the middle with his movement and pace, and the Azerbaijan Premier League champions could not cope.
"He's been really good in that position," Howe said. "Looking back to the Liverpool game, where I thought he was excellent, he scores.
"He's shown he wants to play there and then he's got the quality to play there. His pressing today was incredible for us. That gave us the platform to rebuild off of his work.
"Of course, he's taken the four goals and will get the headlines, naturally, but his all-round game was really strong."
Newcastle United are interested in Chelsea striker Liam Delap, who is likely to leave Stamford Bridge this summer. Manchester United and Everton are also keen on the 23-year-old. (Caught Offside, external)
Want more transfer stories? Read Thursday's full gossip column
Pundits Leon Osman, Thomas Hitzelsperger and Guillem Balague join host Gaby Logan to bring you the action and talking points from this week's Champions League play-off first legs, including Newcastle's emphatic win in Baku.
And listen back to full match commentary on BBC Sounds:
Ciaran Kelly
Newcastle United reporter
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Anthony Gordon's words proved rather prescient.
"In the Champions League, teams are much more open," he said just a few weeks ago. "They all try to play."
Never was that more apparent than on Wednesday night.
This was a new stage for both sides, neither of whom had reached the knockout stages of the Champions League before.
But the gulf in class was staggering.
Eddie Howe showed Qarabag huge respect by naming a strong side, but the Newcastle head coach also knew the hosts would leave gaps.
Gordon, in particular, exploited them as he led the line.
The forward was so hungry that, even after scoring his hat-trick, he grabbed the ball as designated penalty-taker to take the spot-kick for his fourth rather than giving it to Nick Woltemade.
Kieran Trippier, the stand-in captain, still appeared to be a little annoyed about that as the pair exchanged words after trudging off the field at half-time.
But it summed up Gordon's ruthless streak.
In truth, Gordon and his team-mates could have scored even more on a night Qarabag goalkeeper Mateusz Kochalski still, somehow, emerged with credit after making some fine saves.
Newcastle had 22 shots, 14 efforts on target and 39 touches inside the opposition box, but the visitors ultimately had to settle for just the six goals.
With the tie as good as over, Howe will now have the luxury of being able to rotate for the second leg at St James' Park next week - though you suspect Gordon will still be desperate to add to the 10 goals he has scored in the competition this season.
Listen to Gordon's reaction below or here on BBC Sounds
Newcastle boss Eddie Howe, speaking to TNT Sports: "A tribute to the team today. We were really good in the first half. That's as good as we have played in a long time."
On not getting complacent at 4-0 up: "We wanted to keep the momentum in the second half. The game changed and they played lower on the pitch, which made it more difficult for us. Overall, it's a great day for us. We know the tie isn't dead or over, but we are in a great position.
On Anthony Gordon: "He was really good in that first half. He started the press and a number of his goals came from his attitude off the ball. He could have had more, but a very good display."
Hit play above to hear more from Howe or listen on BBC Sounds here
Did you know?
This was Newcastle's biggest margin of victory in the Champions League, and they are just the second side to lead a knockout-stage game by five or more goals at half-time, after Bayern Munich against Porto in 2015.
Gordon is now Newcastle's top scorer in the Champions League (10), with his four goals seeing him overtake Alan Shearer (six). He is just the second Englishman to reach double figures for goals in the competition in a season, after Harry Kane's 11 for Bayern in 2024-25.
Gordon also overtook Shay Given to become the Magpies' top appearance maker in he Champions League (15).
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Whether you were at the game or following from elsewhere, we want to know what you learned.
Have your say on Newcastle's first-leg performance
Come back on Thursday for a selection of your replies
Qarabag XI: Kochalski, Matheus Silva, Mustafazade, Medina, Cafarquliyev, Pedro Bicalho, Jankovic, Andrade, Montiel, Zoubir, Duran.
Subs: Ramazanov, Buntic, Mmaee, Addai, Daniel, Borges, Kashchuk, Qurbanly, Bayramov, Abbas Huseynov, Cabrayilzada, Badavi Huseynov.
Newcastle XI: Pope, Trippier, Thiaw, Burn, Hall, Tonali, Willock, Elanga, Woltemade, Barnes, Gordon.
Subs: Ruddy, Ramsdale, Harris, Joelinton, Osula, Jacob Murphy, Alex Murphy, Ramsey, Shahar, Neave.
Ciaran Kelly
Football reporter
Image source, Getty ImagesEddie Howe will certainly need a settled Jacob Ramsey after influential captain Bruno Guimaraes was sidelined for two months with a hamstring injury.
Newcastle have lost plenty of matches with Guimaraes in the team, but Howe's men have tellingly failed to win any of the 10 league games the Brazilian has missed since his debut in 2022.
Yet Newcastle found a way to beat top-flight opponents in the FA Cup at Villa Park without their talisman last week.
It was a night fellow midfielder Sandro Tonali scored twice in a 3-1 victory as the visitors came from behind against 10 men and channelled their frustrations following some dubious refereeing decisions.
Howe said afterwards that he "always believed there was a way without someone" as he called on his players to continue to "step up" in Guimaraes' absence.
Ramsey will have been among those at the forefront of the manager's mind.
Howe had already made it clear to Ramsey that he needed to increase his numbers - even when Guimaraes was fit - and the summer signing responded with his first goal for the club in the 2-1 victory at Tottenham last week.
The emotion came pouring out of Ramsey as he roared in front of the away end after netting what proved to be the winner just a few days before his return to Villa.
Even team-mate Anthony Elanga "celebrated like I had scored".
"Everyone was so happy for him because he's just that type of guy who brings the energy into the team," Elanga said.
"He thoroughly deserved that. His performances over the last few weeks have been outstanding.
"He held his own against Paris St-Germain and did really well. From there, he just seems to have continued to kick on."
Read more analysis on Jacob Ramsey's role in Bruno Guimaraes' absence
Matt Jones
BBC Sport journalist
An impressive draw at Paris St-Germain in the final week of the league phase was not enough for Newcastle to earn a top-eight spot.
It means their route to the last 16 will be via Qarabag and Baku - a 2,529-mile journey.
The Azerbaijani outfit's fast start to league phase gave them enough of a cushion to cling on to a play-off spot, despite just one win in their previous six Champions League games.
Did you know?
This will be the first meeting between the two sides in European competition and the first time both sides have played in the knockout stages of the Champions League.
Qarabag are the most successful club in their country's football history, having won a record 12 Azerbaijan Premier League titles.
Qarabag lost all seven of their games against English teams in European competition before a 2-2 draw with Chelsea in this season's league phase. Defeat by Liverpool made it eight losses in nine.
Some 76% of Newcastle's goals in the Champions League this season have featured one of Anthony Gordon or Harvey Barnes as the scorer and/or assister (13/17). They were both left on the bench for the draw at PSG.
Image source, Getty ImagesKey Qarabag player - Camilo Duran
The Colombian forward has four goals and an assist in the Champions League.
He grabbed a goal and assist in the team's historic win at Benfica. He also bagged two goals in the victory over Eintracht Frankfurt that kept qualification hopes alive.
The only Colombian players to score more in a season in the Champions League are Jackson Martinez (seven in 2014-15 for Porto) and Radamel Falcao (five in 2016-17 for Monaco).
Pat Nevin
Former footballer and presenter
Image source, Getty ImagesSomeone said to me earlier in the season, that they couldn't see one single thing positive about VAR. When I suggested the vastly improved number of correct decisions on the biggest calls he refused to believe me. The data bears it out, but in the Aston Villa v Newcastle FA Cup tie, there was the blatant evidence placed before our eyes. There was no technology available and this time it showed.
The offside Tammy Abraham goal was allowed to stand, Villa also benefitted because Lucas Digne would have been sent off had VAR had a look at his crude challenge and the penalty not awarded for hand ball 'outside' the box, was blatantly inside, by a couple of feet. Those of us with the benefit of replays got to have a second look, but the officials didn't.
I wasn't upset with the officials for getting these decisions wrong, they are human, they make mistakes and they didn't have the help they all welcome from the technology. The only thing that gets me, isn't even the idea that many people hate VARs being used at all, that is a reasonable point of view.
No, it is the fact that those three decisions would have been overturned most weeks and their good work would then be completely ignored by the Luddite fraternity.
Fortunately, Newcastle went through anyway after suffering these terrible decisions, but the word fortunately is doing a lot of heavy lifting.
Sign up to read more from Pat Nevin in his Football Extra newsletter
Are you one of the Newcastle fans making the 5,000 mile round trip to Baku?
Katie Smith, who is originally from Gateshead and lives in Azerbaijan covering Qarabag, gives BBC Radio Newcastle some recommendations for what to see and do in the city.
Click below to hear the full chat or listen on BBC Sounds here
Germany striker Nick Woltemade is unhappy at Newcastle and the 24-year-old would welcome a move back to Stuttgart or Bayern Munich. (Bild - in German), external
Want more transfer stories? Read Wednesday's full gossip column
Ciaran Kelly
Newcastle United reporter
Image source, Getty ImagesNewcastle United have come a long way.
The team's 2,529-mile trek to Baku is the furthest distance ever travelled by an English side in the Champions League.
But Eddie Howe will be hoping the visitors make history in a more meaningful way on the field as they prepare to face Qarabag in the first leg of their last 16 play-off tie on Wednesday.
"It means everything to us," Howe said. "You look at the history of the club - this is a slightly new opportunity for us to get to the last 16.
"It would be an incredible achievement and we're trying to embrace it in that way and look at the excitement and the possibility rather than feel too much of the burden and the pressure of the occasion."
Qarabag were hammered 6-0 by Liverpool at Anfield in their last European outing, but Newcastle can ill-afford to be complacent as they bid to reach the last 16 for the first time since qualifying for the second group stage in 2003.
Gurban Gurbanov's team have only lost once at home in the Champions League this season for a reason.
The Azerbaijani champions drew 2-2 against Chelsea and defeated Eintracht Frankfurt and Copenhagen at the Tofig Bahramov Republican Stadium.
Qarabag even beat Benfica away from home.
No wonder, then, that Howe vowed to play his strongest team as Newcastle look to take control of the tie before the return leg at St James' Park next week.
"We want to turn these moments into history and into moments people talk about for a long time," Howe added.
Holly Bacon
BBC Sport journalist
Newcastle boss Eddie Howe has been speaking to the media before Wednesday's Champions League game against Qarabag in Baku (kick-off 17:45 GMT).
Here are the key lines from his news conference:
The Newcastle boss confirmed Joelinton is back in the squad: "That's a great boost for us. He's such an important player, such a big presence within our squad, such a real leader. He trained yesterday, trained well and felt really good."
Howe added: "We will play our strongest team in the sense that we will try to win the game. There'll be no thinking of the schedule ahead - this game, in isolation, is hugely important."
He said Lewis Miley will miss out but he has "made good progress in the past few days". However, Emil Krafth's season "looks like it's over", with the defender having had an operation on his knee.
Bruno Guimaraes will spend some time with the Brazil national team to help recover from his hamstring injury before returning to the North East. Howe said "it's a good mix" for him.
On playing in the knockout stages of the Champions League, Howe said: "It means everything to us. The opportunity for us to get to the last 16 of this competition would be an incredible achievement. We're trying to embrace it in that way and look at the excitement and the possibility rather than feel the burden of the pressure of the occasion."
He continued: "We want to turn these moments into history and into moments people talk about for a long time. There's a real excitement with this game."
Howe said he has watched back the games Qarabag played against Chelsea and Liverpool and knows "this will be a tough test". He added: "You can look at the scoreline [6-0 defeat by Liverpool] and make one assumption and then look at the game and get another, different, impression. The Chelsea game [2-2 draw], I thought, was a really hard-fought game between two good teams, but it was a really good one for us to watch to see the level of team we're going to be up against. We are certainly getting across to the players in the next two days that there's no complacency."
Listen to commentary of Qarabag v Newcastle at 17:45 on Wednesday on BBC Radio 5 Live and BBC Sounds
Got a question about Newcastle? Get in touch here and we'll put it to our experts
Image source, Getty ImagesWhen ball number 14 was drawn, fans couldn't believe it - the FA Cup fifth-round draw set up Newcastle and Manchester City to meet in yet another cup tie.
It's the fifth time in six years the teams have faced up in a domestic cup - most recently, City bested Newcastle over two legs to deny the Magpies a place in the final of the Carabao Cup.
In March, the teams will meet again at St James' Park for a place in the quarter-finals of the oldest cup competition in the world.
So, what do fans make of the draw? Yawn-worthy, or the chance for a dramatic rematch?
Let's hear what our fan writers think...
Charlotte Robson of the True Faith: Newcastle United Podcast, external
We joked in all our group chats that, after comprehensively beating Aston Villa we'd end up with Manchester City away in the FA Cup. It was just supposed to be a joke, not a premonition! I rang my dad's house just after the draw was announced and heard wailing in the background. Here we go again!
OK, we drew them at home, so there's a small concession made. But honestly. How many times can two teams play each other in one season? At this rate, I am pretty sure the footballing powers that be will have invented a new way for us to play them at least a couple more times before the season is out.
I know that to win silverware you have to beat the best. I know that. Those of us in the chat with fistfuls of straws can point to November, when a Harvey Barnes double saw us beat City at St James' Park. Those more pessimistic might point to the other two times we've played them so far this season, and the ease with which they dealt with us.
This weekend we visit the Etihad, for what seems to be our now bi-monthly Manchester City match. Let's spin this. Saturday represents another opportunity for Eddie Howe to assess how they are so effective, and to start making a plan.
I keep coming back to the fact it's a home tie. St James' Park will be LOUD. The players will be up for it.
It's the FA Cup - anything could happen.
Emily Brobyn is a regular on BBC Radio Manchester - find all their Man City audio here
"I'm sick of the sight of them," was my reaction when Joe Cole and Karen Carney paired Manchester City with Newcastle.
Don't get me wrong, St James' Park is one of my favourite away days. Despite the infamous 14 flights of stairs, Newcastle is a city that is completely and utterly obsessed with football.
It's all most of their residents talk about as they're walking around the city. It's always a cracking away trip. The draw will be the talk of the toon – but I'm not so sure they'll be too happy about it either.
But despite having just been beaten by Pep Guardiola's men in the Carabao Cup semi-final, in both legs and by an aggregate score of 5-1, Newcastle will be buoyed by the fact this tie will have home advantage.
Eddie Howe has never won a game with Newcastle at Etihad Stadium. The stats make for dismal reading. But the Magpies beat City in the league back in November - 2-1 on home turf - and St James' will be rocking, with Howe looking to seek revenge for the battering his side so recently took in the League Cup.
Make no mistake, it could have been a tougher draw for City, but I doubt Pep will be relishing the prospect of travelling up to Tyneside for the third time in five months.
The Blues have the quality to come away with a place in the FA Cup quarter finals, but there's a feeling Newcastle won't be ready to accept being knocked out of two domestic cups in consecutive months at the hands of City.
Which probably makes the game even more of a tantalising prospect – for the neutral at least!
Emily Brobyn is a regular on BBC Radio Manchester - find all their Man City audio here
