The Magpies are six points off the pace in the battle for a Champions League place and have a mountain to climb to put together a title challenge this season
Newcastle United manager Eddie Howe and assistant Jason Tindall (left)
Newcastle United manager Eddie Howe and assistant Jason Tindall (left)
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Eddie Howe needs no reminding that he will be judged by Newcastle United owners on the club's Premier League position this season.
The Toon chief has warned his players they need to start making progress up the table soon, with Brentford the next big test for the travel-sick black and whites. Newcastle have not won an away game since April in the Premier League but are in the top six of the Champions League.
The ambitious Saudi backers have their eyes on the top prize of winning an English top-flight title for the first time since 1927, and while Carabao Cup success and glory in Europe is welcome, knocking Liverpool and Man City off their perch is high on the agenda in Riyadh.
Despite sitting in 13th place in the table, the Magpies have still won seven games from the last 10 in all competitions - a situation Howe admits he would have taken had it been thrown his way at the start of that sequence. But Howe suggested he knows what the overall narrative on Tyneside is these days, after four years in the job and a huge spending spree.
Newcastle could have slipped lower down the table before kick off at Brentford but despite the Magpies' struggles, Howe believes he could not have asked for more from his stars.
Howe said: "If you'd said to be you'd win seven from the next 10 I'd have been delighted with that because that is a good return.
"I'm sat here in this position and I'm looking at the Premier League table like everyone else is and looking at the narrative, and that's where it is coming from (league position).
"We are uncomfortable with that. We have got to be trying to climb that table as quickly as possible.
"So I share that to a degree. I am also on the inside so I am living every day and every moment.
"I also have an understanding of where the players are at and an understanding of our position in a sense of everything that has happened to lead us to this point.
"I know the players have given everything. I think we just need to support the guys when they are on the pitch and give them total backing.
"I know we have the quality and the professionalism to come back stronger."
Newcastle sailed to a 2-0 win over Athletic Bilbao in the Champions League in midweek and are currently in with a great shout of reaching the last 16 of Europe's premier competition. But Howe admitted that the Premier League is a tougher competition.
Howe said: "The Premier League, for me, is the best league in the world because it is so competitive. There are no easy games and haven’t been in all my time as a Premier League manager.
"You can’t take anything for granted because the quality of teams is so strong and the competition is so strong. But I’d also flip that and say the Champions League is the elite club competition in world football and where everyone wants to be.
“We have navigated some really difficult games in the Champions League so far really well. The Barcelona game could have been another win for us..
"It was very tight and unfortunately went against us. So, I think both competitions are very very strong and that is why this season is such a challenge for us.
"There is no break, there is no training time. It is relentless, and that’s not an effort to get sympathy from anyone, but we are having to navigate that while trying to keep the players knowing every game is important. There can be no dip in any competition."
Brentford have beaten Man United and Liverpool at home with Howe refusing to underestimate the challenge ahead. He said: "I think Brentford is always a difficult place to go.
"With their style of play this year, they have been very efficient and effective with what they do.
"I see this game as a great opportunity to showcase that we can deliver away from home. We know there is pressure on us, our away form hasn’t been great away from home, but we're determined to try and put that right."
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