Newcastle United v Man City - Joe Buck preview
Newcastle United latest news: Alan Shearer has delivered his verdict on the current pressure facing Eddie Howe.
Manchester City are the visitors to St James’ Park this weekend as the Magpies look to end a run of successive defeats in the league. Howe, though, has never beaten Pep Guardiola in the league during his time as a manager, a run that extends all the way back to his time as Bournemouth boss.
Ending that particular record this weekend would not only be a huge boost for Newcastle United and their hopes of kickstarting a season that is yet to really catch alight, but also to ease any pressure on Howe himself. Whilst there are no suggestions that Howe is under any internal pressure, murmurings over his long-term future at St James’ Park have begun to crop up as Newcastle’s league form continues to slide.
Alan Shearer delivers Eddie Howe verdict
Whilst it’s far from panic stations at St James’ Park, they’re into yet another Carabao Cup quarter-final and on the verge of securing their place in the knockout round of the Champions League, turning around their form in the Premier League will be a key task for Howe and his coaching staff in the coming weeks. With Manchester City, Everton, Tottenham Hotspur and Burnley to come before the Wear-Tyne derby next month, the Magpies are entering a crunch period of the season.
Speaking on the Rest is Football Podcast, Shearer believes that Howe will be given the time to change the club’s fortunes: “We know the rules of football, but surely he’s got so much in the bank,” Shearer said.
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“What he’s done for Newcastle when others couldn’t do it. When you mention some of the brilliant managers that Newcastle had, then no, not for me, not for a long time.
I think the board will not panic. They will look at what he’s done in the past and they will look at their Champions League form. They will look at the fact they’re already in the quarter-finals of the Carabao again.
“Yeah, the league has been, particularly away from home, disappointing. And my guess is you might see one or two changes, whether that’s a change of system, whether that’s a change of one or two personnel this weekend, because you can’t keep on going and doing the same thing. And he’s not that daft to do that.
“But no, not for a long time for me, Eddie, because of what he’s achieved at Newcastle.”
This weekend, Howe will be without Dan Burn for the visit of Guardiola’s side as he serves a one-match suspension following his red card against Brentford last time out. New signing Yoane Wissa also remains sidelined with a knee injury.
Wissa has not yet made his debut for Newcastle United and whilst there is hope that will come in the next few weeks, the clash against the Citizens will come too early for the DR Congo international.
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