Newcastle United notebook: £2m Dan Ashworth compensation talk and Eddie Howe's £146m strike force

Newcastle United are still battling it out with Manchester United over a compensation package to release former sporting director Dan Ashworth from his Toon contract.

Eddie Howe insisted he was not part of the process when asked at his press conference ahead of this evening's game at Crystal Palace. A figure of £2million was suggested by the Daily Telegraph last night with Newcastle understood to be holding out for closer to £15million for the 53-year-old they lured from Brighton & Hove Albion.

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With Newcastle unlikely to budge for anything close to £2million it seems that Ashworth will have to wait until his gardening leave expires. However, the situation has not slowed down Newcastle's quest for a replacement.

The search for a new footballing supremo on Tyneside is being led by recruitment specialists Odgers Berndtson and the hope is an appointment will be made in time for the summer transfer window opening. Howe and head of recruitment Steve Nickson have led the transfer business in the absence of Ashworth who is now on gardening leave.

Battle of the front threes at the Palace?

Crystal Palace's front three of Michael Olise, Eberechi Eze and Jean-Philippe Mateta won the plaudits over the weekend on Match of the Day after starring in Palace's 5-2 win over West Ham. Olise and Eze scored one each and Mateta netted a brace to put Palace on the brink of survival.

But Howe can let his own powerful front three loose at Selhurst Park tonight in Alexander Isak, Anthony Gordon and Harvey Barnes. The £146million strike force look in the mood to cause some damage against the Eagles and we could be in for a cracker of a game.

Unlike last season, surely this one won't end 0-0?

Arsenal rout in London derby is perfect result for Newcastle

Everything seems to be falling into place for Newcastle as we approach the final stages of the run-in and that continued last night as Chelsea were battered 5-0 by Arsenal at the Emirates Stadium.

The heavy defeat stopped Chelsea going level on points with the Magpies but also severely dented the Blues' goal difference. The result means that Newcastle can put a six-point gap between themselves and Chelsea if a win at Palace is clinched tonight.

Newcastle would also go five points clear of West Ham having played a game less, but there is a big incentive to get all three points tonight as Manchester United face a doomed Sheffield United at Old Trafford so staying in sixth spot is at stake at Selhurst Park if Howe's team drop points.