It just gets worse for savage friends (7,6)

I believe the answer is:

vicious circle

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'it just gets worse' is the definition.
The definition suggests a singular noun which matches the answer.

'savage friends' is the wordplay.
'savage' becomes 'vicious' (synonyms).
'friends' becomes 'circle' (I can't justify this - if you can you should give a lot more credence to this answer).
'vicious'+'circle'='VICIOUS CIRCLE'

'for' is the link.

Can you help me to learn more?

(Other definitions for vicious circle that I've seen before include "Where moves to solve a problem just make things worse" , "It gets continually worse" , "Sequence of reinforcing events" , "keeps getting worse?" , "Reciprocal cause and effect sequence" .)

I've seen this clue in The Daily Express.

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