"If you look at Liverpool and today you'd think Newcastle are in a really good place..." said the head coach after Saturday's thumping of Leicester City.
"The problem was we had Brentford in between."
And that's been the problem all season. For every Arsenal win there's been a West Ham defeat, Tottenham win, Fulham defeat, Manchester City draw, Brighton loss.
So for all Newcastle looked back to their St James' Park best in their dismantling of the hapless and helpless Foxes, excitement and encouragement will be tempered.
"I'm pleased but I'm not high in a sense of getting carried away," said Howe.
This, though, was big for Newcastle - the game and the win. Howe admitted the Magpies were "under pressure" after their four-game winless run and the Brentford second half no-show, and with the Bees next up at St James' Park on Wednesday night in the Carabao Cup quarter-final, Saturday's game was the start of a huge and potentially season-defining week.
If Howe and his players were feeling the pressure after last week's reaction to the Brentford defeat, imagine the situation they'd have found themselves in had they failed to beat Leicester and then got knocked out of the cup. Wednesday's game remains massive but United will now go into that last eight tie feeling better about themselves.
Leicester were dreadful but that should not take anything away from Newcastle, who smothered and suffocated like they do when they're at their St James' Park best. Leicester were incredibly fortunate to only be one behind at the break, Jacob Murphy's finish to a wonderfully-worked set-piece routine setting Newcastle on their way, but the Magpies piled it on in the second half and scored three more in 13 minutes through Bruno, Alexander Isak and Murphy again. They could have easily had five, six or seven.
Newcastle's big players performed. Anthony Gordon charged around like a weight had been lifted after his interview last week telling of his Newcastle love and transfer talk frustration, Bruno Guimaraes bossed the midfield and Alexander Isak tormented Leicester. He should have scored more than a single goal.
And there's another player you'd now put in the category of Newcastle's best: Lewis Hall. So impressive and so consistent. He set up two of the four goals.
Sandro Tonali impressed as well, with Howe telling of his delight at the growing understanding between the Italian and two Brazilians in the midfield. Unfortunately they won't play together at Ipswich next week, for Joelinton picked up his fifth yellow and will be suspended, but he's still available for the midweek Brentford tie.
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Newcastle's defeat at Brentford last week sparked both frustration and anger on Tyneside but Howe followed his instincts in how he dealt with that disappointment and prepared for Leicester.
Harsh words and home truths?
"No, I don't think there was," he revealed.
"It was more support for the players this time.
I always follow my instincts and gut feeling of what the players need. Do they need some harsh words, some reality or support. I thought this week was support.
"But also I thought they needed change, so we changed various things this week to try and stimulate a response. I thought the players responded really well."
And so did St James' Park.
As Leicester boss Ruud van Nistelrooy said after the game: “We know what St James’ Park is like. It can ignite and then it will be intense."
Leicester and their new boss felt the power of Newcastle's home.
Howe said: "That's why today was so important. It's not just us that need to feel that, it's the supporters. They need to feel the power they possess. They need to feel we're connected.
"Today we were connected and I think the crowd really responded well to how we started and what we were doing. We hadn't scored but the crowd really stuck with us and we benefited. So a big thank you to everyone who came and supported us. The fact we're still united and still together after an indifferent period speaks volumes for the loyalty of supporters."
Newcastle actually looked slightly anxious in the first five minutes or so and sloppy passes were misplaced. But a driving Gordon run and shot sparked the home side into life.
In his programme notes Howe told of his delight at Newcastle “rediscovering their best attacking instincts and being more ruthless” but that wasn't the case in the first half an hour as chances came and went. But the training ground work of Jason Tindall and analyst Kieran Taylor set the Magpies on their way, with a well worked set-piece routing involving Hall, Tonali and Gordon leading to Murphy firing home the winner.
Leicester had to change goalkeepers at half-time and Danny Ward had picked the ball out of the net twice within five minutes of the restart. Bruno nodded in after another set-play masterpiece then Isak got the goal he deserved. He might have missed a first half sitter but Isak troubled Leicester throughout and the striker slalomed at the visiting defence before teeing up Murphy for the fourth and final goal.
"Sometimes despite winning we haven't been as dominant as I'd like us to be," said Howe.
"Today we were dominant and got the goals. That's why today was a perfect mix. But it can't be a one-off."
This must be the norm for Newcastle, home and away. Win on Wednesday and follow that up with success at Ipswich, who haven't yet won at Portman Road this season, and the the picture will look positive for the Magpies again.
But that's the sort of consistency that Newcastle have struggled to find this season. Now is the time to right that wrong.