The Magpies stumbled to a 3-2 defeat against Everton and now must recalculate their route to Europe via the Premier League
Jordan Pickford pulled off a big save from Newcastle's Sandro Tonali
Jordan Pickford pulled off a big save from Newcastle's Sandro Tonali
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Newcastle United now have 30 points to play for in the Premier League with their European hopes fast evaporating.
It is expected that as low as eighth place in the top-flight could be enough to earn a Europa Conference League slot this season, depending on who wins the domestic cups. But even then, after yesterday's defeat to Everton, Newcastle are four points adrift of that place as the Toffees solidified their spot in the top eight.
In many ways the Everton clash was a six-pointer that United failed in at St James' Park and even a point would have been a decent result given the European chase. After the game, Howe's Press conference had spats of the Brentford defeat just a couple of weeks ago.
He was down, and there was a real contrast given recent European and FA Cup results. But he emerged to say: "It's a challenge to lift ourselves back into the Premier League after European games, a big physical effort and we haven't done that well enough. It's not for lack of effort, but we have to do better. There's not a break for us and we have to regroup quickly."
It now means that the encounter with Michael Carrick's Manchester United is very much much a must-win. A sixth defeat from seven games is unthinkable and has an alarming ring to it given the bottom four are currently in better form than the Magpies.
How Newcastle could have avoided Everton defeat
The Magpies looked leggy against Everton with the game coming just three days after the 3-2 win over Qarabag. Howe was asked a few times whether he would play the kids against the team from Azerbaijan to give the likes of Kieran Trippier, Dan Burn, Sandro Tonali and Anthony Gordon a breather.
Instead, three started the game, and Gordon and others came off the bench. Unfortunately, it showed in the five-goal battle against Everton.
Howe referred to the "perils of Europe", but after a 6-1 aggregate lead from the first leg, it was a free hit to play a team of youngsters and fringe players. Although it's easy with the benefit of hindsight, Howe was trying to keep momentum in terms of results.
A first for Eddie Howe
Newcastle lost their third home game in a row in the Premier League under Eddie Howe for the first time.
The last time this sequence unfolded was back in the Steve Bruce era during lockdown football. However, while it is an ugly stat for Howe and his players, the argument that the team are still fighting on three fronts is there for all to see.
A big win against the odds over Man City next weekend could change the context of the season in the FA Cup - for then they could be just one tie away from a Wembley semi-final.
Jordan Pickford's tunnel antics
The England keeper produced one of the saves of the season at St James' Park when he flicked Sandro Tonali's venomous effot on to the woodwork.
It denied the Italian at the death before Pickford pointed to his head in the immediate aftermath. The keeper then milked the celebrations with Everton fans in the Leazes End.
As he made his way down the tunnel, he said to the camera: "Up there with my best ever that."
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