It is believed that the takeover of Premier League club Newcastle United could be even closer to completion, as Amanda Staveley and her PCP Capital Partners group have increased their bid to £300million.

Looking to meet Ashley's means

Since Mike Ashley's majority takeover in 2007 fans have been itching for someone else to come and invest in The Magpies, with the ten year tenure of the Ashley regime bringing nothing but disappointment and anger.

That hasn't changed upon their return to the top-flight having won the Championship last season, with a serious lack of investment leaving them short and two points above the relegation places.

Rumours of a possible takeover at St James' Park have come and gone without any real solidity in the claims, however hopes were increased when Ashley publicly put the club up for sale in October heightened with Staveley's presence at the 1-1 draw with Liverpool.

Staveley was one of main players in the Manchester City deal back in 2008 and made the initial £250m bid for The Magpies, however that was rejected by Ashley with it being unsure if Staveley would return for an improved offer.

It is reported that Ashley and Staveley met face to face for the first time last week to discuss the initial deal and a possible increase, and it seems to have worked as it is believed that Staveley has returned with a deal closer to the £300m asking price with some of the clauses from the initial bid removed.

Excepting them to change their style

It is difficult to say that the background drama on Tyneside hasn't affected the performances on the pitch, having lost six of their last seven matches which included Saturday's 3-2 defeat to Leicester City.

Focus will once again turn back to the pitch as Newcastle prepare to welcome Everton to St James', and it will be another occasion of an old face making an visit with Sam Allardyce returning to Tyneside.

It has been a unbeaten start to life at Goodison Park for the English coach which included a hard-fought point in Sunday's 1-1 draw in the Merseyside derby, it is fair to say they soaked up the ferocious Liverpool attack with their 23 shots to Everton's three but Rafael Benítez stated that he expects Everton to be a "different" side Wednesday night.

“I think it will be different," Benítez told his pre-match press conference. "I think they know they are a good team, they know they have some good players and they have to start winning games away.”

“I think they have enough quality to go and approach the game with the confidence they can win," the Spaniard proclaimed. "And they don’t need to be very, very defensive."

“If they are deep, you have the control of the game and it is a question of time," the coach stated. "Maybe you can make a mistake and they create a counter-attack, but maybe they are more open and if they are higher you have more space – you never know."

"Football is unpredictable," Benítez concluded. "And we have to be sure we can control the things that are in our hands.”