Milner fears for Newcastle

Milner joined Villa from Newcastle last summer and will meet his former club on the final day of the season.

He told The Sun: “I’ve been receiving texts about the last game of the season saying ‘what if you score and send Newcastle down?’

“I’m a Villa player and it could happen so I’d like them to be safe by then.

“Stranger things have happened and, hopefully, Alan Shearer can work his magic and get them out of it.

“I still know Alan Smith and Steve Harper – and the staff are a great bunch.

“There’s a lot of experience there, it shows though when things happen off the field, it doesn’t help.

“It was the same when I was at Leeds. It’s tough to play. People are always asking questions about what happens off the field rather than coming in and concentrating on football. As a player, it’s not ideal.

“Maybe that might be one reason why things aren’t happening at Newcastle. There’s been a lot of managers in a short space of time.

“I hope Shearer has the same ability as a boss that he had as a player. I hope he does it for them.”