AS MUCH as their search for a new manager, Newcastle United’s future will be defined by their success in seeking a long-term replacement for Alan Shearer, who retires in the summer. Concern was expressed yesterday by Glenn Roeder, Graeme Souness’s temporary successor, that “time is at a premium” to find an established centre forward with the temperament and skill to replace the captain.

Newcastle have been linked this week with Ruud van Nistelrooy and Fernando Torres, but not within Roeder’s earshot. “I’m not aware of names being bandied about,” he said. “We should be linked with that calibre of player, but until there’s a permanent manager, I wouldn’t have thought there was too much truth in it.”

For tomorrow’s match at home to Liverpool, Kieron Dyer is likely to be restricted to the bench, but he is itching for more involvement. “Reading what the manager has been saying about me being a bit-part player in the next few weeks is frustrating because I haven’t played games,” he said.

Nigel Martyn faces a battle to save his career at Everton after suffering a heel injury during his rehabilitation from an ankle problem.

The goalkeeper, 39, has not played since the FA Cup fourth-round tie at home to Chelsea on January 28, after which he underwent surgery on the ankle, but he has now broken down with an injury that could rule him out for the rest of the season and threaten his hopes of winning an extension to his contract, which expires in June. James Milner has been ruled out for a fortnight after it was diagnosed that he has an inflamed spleen. The condition has similar symptoms to glandular fever and obliged the Aston Villa midfield player to spend a week away from the club in order to avoid aggravating the problem.

Liverpool’s game away to Blackburn Rovers has been put back to Sunday, April 16, to avoid a clash with the annual Hillsborough Memorial service at Anfield.

Chris Coleman has denied that Fulham players are unhappy with his style of management and that he has been given two matches to save his job. “There’s talk about a rift in my dressing-room or a split in the club, but it is absolute nonsense,” he said.

John Rudge, Stoke City’s director of football, and Jan de Koning, the assistant manager, have been suspended for a second time.