Glenn Roeder has again told Aston Villa they have no chance of signing James Milner in the January transfer window, to quash rumours that Martin O'Neill is ready with the cash.
Roeder: "Everybody knows that James Milner almost went to Aston Villa at the 11th hour in the last transfer window and there is a lot of talk, especially in the Midlands, that that's where he will be going in January.
"But not as far as myself and the chairman are concerned. We have played 30 games this season and James has been involved in just about all of them. As a result, he is getting the one thing he always wanted - regular first-team football. And in any case, why should James Milner want to leave Newcastle United?
"He is seeing at first-hand the progress we are making, and that we are slowly but surely changing our squad for the better.
"He has played such an important part in our recent good form, with some excellent crosses which have brought some really good goals for the likes of Oba Martins, Albert Luque and Antoine Sibierski.
"The only thing which is missing from Milner's game at the moment is goals, but he is working so hard on this in training. Don't forget he is still only 20 and, with Nicky Butt, he is always the last to leave the training ground."