LIV Golf ace and Nottingham Forest fan Lee Westwood has come clean about the footballing reasons behind his ignoring of Newcastle icon and BBC pundit Alan Shearer

Alan Shearer has been handed a dose of the silent treatment by peer Lee Westwood(Image: Getty)

Lee Westwood has ‘gone quiet’ with Alan Shearer since Newcastle beat his beloved Nottingham Forest – but a positive Premier League run-in could change things.

The LIV Golf star and perennial European Tour winner was 𝐛𝐨𝐫𝐧 in Nottinghamshire and has been treated to an unbelievable campaign so far by Nuno Espirito Santo’s men. Forest currently sit a staggering fourth in the top-flight, and have an FA Cup semi-final against Manchester City on the horizon.

Chasing them down in the race for Champions League football are the Magpies, supported by close friend and former player Shearer, who lie just one point away from them in fifth. Eddie Howe’s side have got the better of Westwood’s team this season, beating them home and away in the league, as well as on penalties in the League Cup. This has led to the LIV ace going quiet on ex-England man Shearer, though Westwood has admitted that this will change should Forest finish higher than Newcastle.

Ipswich Town visit St. James’s Park on Saturday in what is a crucial match in the race for top European football. Westwood was adamant about his friend Shearer’s former employers getting the job done, however, whilst shedding some light on their relationship.

“I don’t see Newcastle dropping points, unfortunately for Forest,” admitted Westwood when asked about the run-in by BBC Sport. “I’m good friends with Alan Shearer, but I have gone quiet with him about Forest since Newcastle beat us home and away in the league this season.

“They beat us on their way to winning the Carabao Cup as well, so I haven’t been able to wind him up too much, but I’ll be in touch if we finish above them.”

With only four games remaining for some and five for others in the top flight this season, the battle for Champions League football is as tight as can be.

Just four points separate City in third place and Aston Villa in seventh place, with Chelsea also in contention to grab one of the five spots available to English clubs for next term.

Westwood is hoping Forest will finish above Newcastle this term(Image: Getty)

Westwood’s Forest do have another competition on their agenda, however, as their FA Cup visit to Wembley to take on City bestows upon them an impeccable opportunity for silverware.

Should they best Pep Guardiola and his squad, a date in the final against either Crystal Palace or Aston Villa – both teams Nuno’s men have beaten in the league this season – awaits, and Westwood is confident his side can get the job done.

“It will be tough, but I do think we can turn them over,” continued Westwood. “I am not just saying that because I’m a Forest fan, it’s because we seem to have played well against the better teams this season, the ones that come on to us.

“I’ve seen the stats about possession, and we have got the lowest average possession in the Premier League this season, and City have got the highest, so they are going to have the ball and we will try to hit them on the break.

“We have already beaten them this season, so we know it can work. One late breakaway goal would do the job, and that’s the way we play.”