Newcastle United head coach Eddie Howe has received strong backing from Sky Sports pundits Gary Neville and Paul Merson, despite the Magpies’ slide from European contention to 14th in the Premier League. A 1-0 defeat to Arsenal on Saturday marked their fourth consecutive league loss, leaving them on 42 points — just six above the relegation zone.
Pundits rally behind Howe
Merson, speaking on Saturday Night Football, warned Newcastle against letting Howe go, suggesting top clubs would move quickly to hire him. “I'm a big fan of Eddie Howe and if he leaves, they will be queuing up around the corner. Be careful Newcastle,” Merson said. “Chelsea would take him all day long. We were talking about him being the next England manager. Everyone will be queueing up to take him.”
He highlighted Howe’s achievements, including winning the club’s first trophy in 70 years, and stressed that the decision to stay or leave should be Howe’s alone.
Neville urges long-term planning
Transfer issues and squad overhaul
Neville, on The Gary Neville Podcast, pointed to the club’s summer transfer strategy as a key factor in their struggles, citing the signings of Nick Woltemade and Yoane Wissa as underperforming. “The transfer business at the end of the window in the summer was a real problem for them,” he said.
Despite the setbacks, Neville advocated full support for Howe, calling him an “eight-and-a-half out of 10 manager” and urging the club to back him with early transfer planning for next season. “They’ve got a really good manager… I hope they're sitting down with Eddie Howe and they're going through [the squad] and he's saying 'these are the players I want'.”
Player admits season has fallen short
Bruno Guimaraes acknowledged Newcastle’s inconsistent campaign, admitting to Sky Sports: “It’s not good enough, our season, I know it.” Though encouraged by a spirited performance against Arsenal, he conceded the team has failed to meet expectations. “We have four games to save it and at least try to qualify for European football next season.”
The midfielder confirmed the squad needs reinforcement, saying: “I hope so. I cannot comment too much as I'm just a player but I think we have to improve a lot of things in the club. We need help.”
Howe to meet club hierarchy
Howe is set to hold talks with Newcastle’s ownership this week. When asked about the meeting, he said: “These are things we always have every year. This one will be slightly harder for me, I'm sure, but it'll be good to meet with the owners and discuss the future.”