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Newcastle United latest news: Kieran Trippier has defended Eddie Howe following Newcastle United’s defeat to Brentford.
Having endured three tough away games against PSG, Liverpool and Manchester City in a gruelling seven day schedule last week, the Magpies returned to St James’ Park with hope that they could end their poor run of form in-front of their own supporters. Their visitors Brentford, meanwhile, hadn’t tasted victory on Tyneside in 92 years.
That had changed by the time 7:30pm rolled around following goals from Vitaly Janelt, Igor Thiago and Dango Ouattara. The Bees defeated Newcastle United back in November on a damaging afternoon for Howe’s side in the capital, but this loss at home feels like a particularly pivotal moment in their season.
Despite progressing in the Champions League, defeat in the Carabao Cup semi-finals, particularly the manner in which they went out, plus a tough fixture schedule to come in February means that a transformation in their fortunes isn’t necessarily just around the corner.
Kieran Trippier’s Newcastle United v Brentford reaction
Howe made five changes from the side that started their defeat at the Etihad Stadium on Wednesday night, with Trippier starting at right-back once again in the absence of Tino Livramento and Lewis Miley. The 35-year-old has now started three matches in a row in all competitions and, following the departure of club captain Jamaal Lascelles earlier this week, is one of the club’s biggest characters and leaders behind the scenes.
Trippier and Lascelles were the two players who fronted up to the media following their defeat at the Gtech Community Stadium in November - and once again the former spoke following their most recent defeat to the Bees.
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Speaking to Sky Sports, Trippier revealed he took ‘full responsibility’ for his side’s performance and defeat at St James’ Park, saying: “I take full responsibility as a senior player in the dressing room. It's nothing about the manager. We are going through a tough spell - no doubt about it.
“We need to get our heads down. It's my responsibility as a senior player to calm things down.”
From the moment Andy Madley blew the full-time whistle, Trippier and his teammates had just 72 hours to rest, recuperate and prepare for their trip to face Tottenham Hotspur in north London on Tuesday night. The Magpies have won just twice on the road in the Premier League this season, against Everton in November and Burnley on the penultimate day of 2025.
Overcoming the disappointment of their defeat to Brentford will be the priority aim for Howe and his side - and Howe has admitted that defeat to the Bees was a ‘damaging’ one: "It is damaging,” Howe added.
“It is damaging for our psychology but there is only one way to solve that and it is to dig out a win from somewhere and then you can totally flip the feeling in one match and I think that is what we have to try and do. Away from home, the bigger the challenge, we have to try and rise to it."
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