Newcastle boss Eddie Howe would have no qualms over handing “big-game player” Elliot Anderson the chance to make a name for himself with late-season heroics for a second time. Twelve months ago, the 20-year-old midfielder ended a hugely successful loan spell at Bristol Rovers in style when he scored the crucial last goal in a 7-0 final-day drubbing of relegated Scunthorpe to edge them to automatic promotion from Sky Bet League Two at Northampton’s expense. On Monday evening, he could find himself playing a key role as the Magpies attempt to seal Champions League qualification against struggling Leicester, with fellow midfielder Joe Willock nursing a hamstring injury and Sean Longstaff working his way back from a foot problem. Asked about Anderson’s readiness, head coach Howe said: “No qualms at all. He would have played more this season if it hadn’t been for the form of the players around him, there’s no doubt about that for me. “The midfield has been performing as a unit very, very well this year. You look at each of the players in that midfield and you’d say they’re up there as our best-performing players, so Elliot, we believe in him, it’s just been the strength of the group. “I think he showed last year in his loan spell – it was a brilliant experience for him – he showed that he’s a big-game player. When they needed him, Bristol Rovers, he stood up and made the difference and yes, it could be a chance for him to do that again.” Anderson returned to Tyneside after his spell in Bristol and forced his way into the first-team picture, although he has had to remain patient. Twenty-one of his 25 appearances to date have come from the bench, and his only Premier League start against Liverpool in February ended after just 24 minutes when he was replaced by goalkeeper Martin Dubravka following Nick Pope’s dismissal. Howe said: “I’d say he would consider himself a first-team player now, as in a fully-integrated member of the first-team squad. He’s trained consistently throughout the season. I'd say he's ready Eddie Howe on Elliot Anderson “It’s very difficult for those lads that haven’t played regularly when the team wins consistently and has performed as well as it has to wait for their chance. “Now, he’s a young player that has been desperate to play, he’s controlled his emotions really well. I do believe he’s added elements to his game and improved certain parts of his game that needed to improve. “I’d say he’s ready. He’s versatile – he proved that against Brighton. He came on on the right side of midfield. He’s predominantly been used by me as a left-side player and he’s very much capable, so we believe in him.” Read More Charity boss speaks out over ‘traumatic’ encounter with royal aide Ukraine war’s heaviest fight rages in east - follow live Man City boss Pep Guardiola plays down his role in treble-chasing campaign Sir Mo Farah preparing to push himself to the limit in Great Manchester Run 10K Sam Allardyce says West Ham game is ‘do or die’ in Leeds’ survival fight

Manchester City face Inter Milan in the Champions League final in Istanbul on Saturday. Here, the PA news agency looks at some talking points ahead of the game. City’s holy grail Winning the Champions League has been City’s top objective since their takeover by Sheikh Mansour in 2008 and, after a number of near-misses, it now feels tantalisingly within reach. Beating Inter Milan would complete a mission for the club’s hierarchy, as it would for Pep Guardiola, the man they hired to deliver it. Despite City’s near-dominance of the domestic scene in recent years, and the regularity with which they have reached the Champions League’s latter stages, Guardiola has admitted the club need to win it to truly underline their greatness. On a personal level too, Guardiola has been the greatest coach of his generation but it has now been 12 years since the second of his two triumphs with a Lionel Messi-inspired Barcelona and it is an itch he needs to scratch. Treble bid Victory would not only fulfil a long-held ambition for City, but complete a glorious treble, earning them a place in the history books alongside arch-rivals Manchester United as only the second side to win the Premier League, FA Cup and Champions League in the same season. United achieved the feat in 1999, at a time when City were fighting for promotion from the third tier. How their fans are enjoying the change in circumstances 24 years on. Tactics and form City will head into this game against the side that finished third in Serie A as overwhelming favourites. After an inconsistent spell either side of the World Cup, they hit form in the spring to reel in Arsenal at the top of the Premier League and power into two major finals. Their level of performance has arguably been better than anything they have produced before under Guardiola, with some particularly outstanding displays in key games against the Gunners, Bayern Munich and Real Madrid. Guardiola has often been accused of overthinking and getting things wrong tactically in the key matches, but there seems little reason to deviate now from what has worked well this season. No injury worries City would appear to have a clean bill of health. There were concerns when Kyle Walker did not appear at an open training session on Tuesday, having been substituted late in the FA Cup final on Saturday, but the player allayed any worries, saying he would not miss the Champions League final “for anything”. Guardiola is therefore unlikely to stray much from the side which started against Arsenal and both legs against Madrid, which was: Ederson, Walker, Stones, Dias, Akanji, Rodri, Gundogan, Grealish, Silva, De Bruyne, Haaland. Inter’s plan Inter will be determined not to make up the numbers but manager Simone Inzaghi probably recognises City are likely to dominate possession, putting his side’s notably tough defence to the test. The Italians will hope to soak up the pressure and catch City on the counter, looking to the likes of Lautaro Martinez, Edin Dzeko and Romelu Lukaku to take any chances that come their way. Read More Charity boss speaks out over ‘traumatic’ encounter with royal aide Ukraine war’s heaviest fight rages in east - follow live Caitlin Foord signs new Arsenal contract How do the current Man City side compare to Man Utd’s treble winners of 1999? Chelsea’s owners pledge to improve and say they are optimistic over future

LSU quarterback Jayden Daniels, Georgia coach Kirby Smart and linebackers Dallas Turner and Jett Johnson are among those honored by The Associated Press in a midseason report for the Southeastern Conference

Declan Rice capped a remarkable rise from the crushing disappointment of being released by boyhood heroes Chelsea as a teenager as he joined Arsenal from West Ham on Saturday for a fee...

Australia has bowled out India for 234 and won the World Test Championship final by 209 runs at the Oval

The Minnesota Vikings were in the process of signing former Miami running back Myles Gaskin

Nikola Jokic got a triple-double in his NBA Finals debut, Jamal Murray scored 26 points and the Denver Nuggets had little trouble with the cold-shooting Miami Heat on the way to a 104-93 win in Game 1 of the title series on Thursday night

Defending champion Houston will face two talented former teammates when the Astros meet Minnesota in one of four Major League Baseball second-round...

Yordan Alvarez hit two of Houston’s seven home runs, and the surging Astros beat Oakland 10-1 to complete another series sweep and hand the Athletics their 11th consecutive loss

The Cleveland Guardians' plans to potentially get a return for one of their top pitchers have officially blown up for this reason.The Cleveland Guardians may be in a competition for the AL Central title, but it has been far from a great season. Entering Tuesday night, the Guardians are 46-4...

Spanish police have arrested three people in connection with racist abuse of the Real Madrid player.

Promotion places are still to be decided in the Football League as the ever-entertaining play-offs begin. Four teams in the Championship, League One and League Two will bid to finish the season strongly as they vie to be elevated to the next tier. Wembley will again host all three play-off finals across the late May bank holiday weekend. But to get to those showpiece dates, the 12 remaining clubs in contention for promotion will have to survive two-legged semi-finals that always seem to deliver drama. Here’s everything you need to know: When are the play-offs? The play-offs begin on 12 May with the first leg of the League One semi-finals, and conclude with the third tier’s final at Wembley on Monday 29 May. Who has qualified for the play-offs? In the Championship, the teams who finished third, fourth, fifth and sixth will compete for the final promotion place to the Premier League. They are: Luton, Middlesbrough, Coventry and Sunderland. In League One, it is the finishers in that same spread from third to sixth: Sheffield Wednesday, Barnsley, Bolton and Peterborough. League Two, meanwhile, awards an extra automatic promotion place, meaning the fourth to seventh-placed clubs progress to the play-offs: Stockport County, Carlisle United, Bradford City and Salford City are the quartet. How can I watch it? All of the play-off action will be live for viewers in the United Kingdom on Sky Sports. Subscribers can stream every game via the Sky Go app. If you’re not a Sky customer you can grab a NOWTV Day Pass here to watch without a subscription. Championship play-off schedule: Semi-final first legs: Saturday 13 May, 5.30pm BST: Sunderland vs Luton (Stadium of Light, Sunderland) Sunday 14 May, 12pm BST: Coventry vs Middlesbrough (Coventry Building Society Arena) Second legs: Tuesday 16 May, 8pm BST: Luton vs Sunderland (Kenilworth Road, Luton) Wednesday 17 May 8pm BST: Middlesbrough vs Coventry (Riverside Stadium, Middlesbrough) Final: Saturday 27 May, 4.45pm BST League One play-off schedule Semi-final first legs: Friday 12 May, 8pm BST: Peterborough vs Sheffield Wednesday (London Road, Peterborough) Saturday 13 May, 3pm BST: Bolton vs Barnsley (University of Bolton Stadium) Second legs: Thursday 18 May, 8pm BST: Sheffield Wednesday vs Peterborough (Hillsborough, Sheffield) Friday 19 May, 8pm BST: Barnsley vs Bolton (Oakwell, Barnsley) Final: Monday 29 May, 3pm BST League Two play-off schedule Semi-final first legs: Saturday 13 May, 7.45pm BST: Salford City vs Stockport County (Moor Lane, Salford) Sunday 14 May, 7pm BST: Bradford vs Carlisle (Valley Parade, Bradford) Second legs: Saturday 20 May, 12.30pm BST: Stockport County vs Salford City (Edgeley Park, Stockport) Saturday 20 May, 3pm BST: Carlisle United vs Bradford City (Brunton Park, Carlisle) Final: Sunday 28 May, 1.30pm BST Read More Vincent Kompany planning ‘smart’ recruitment for promoted Burnley EFL clubs agree record £935million broadcast deal with Sky Sports Milan derby creates thrilling sensory overload that shows how football should be On this day in 2013: Wigan celebrate FA Cup win with shock victory over Man City A closer look at this season’s play-off contenders as promotion battle resumes Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney join jubilant fans as Wrexham enjoy promotion party