The Guardian says Allardyce is under increasing pressure at St James' Park and, with Newcastle having taken only one point from their past five games, there are suggestions that defeat at home to Arsenal on Wednesday could prompt his dismissal.

Although Newcastle poured scorn on such a notion yesterday and said newspaper reports claiming Allardyce was one game from the sack were "not worthy of comment", Mike Ashley, the club's owner, is believed to be giving thought to his manager's future.

Last night friends of Shearer indicated that the former Newcastle and England captain would be interested in managing his home-town club should Allardyce, who witnessed a 3-1 defeat at Blackburn on Saturday, fail to turn things around.