The Magpies were all at sea defensively against Everton and Eddie Howe is keen to comb through some of the issues at the back
Eddie Howe manager of Newcastle United
Newcastle United head coach Eddie Howe(Image: Richard Lee/Shutterstock)
View Image
Newcastle United will go through their errors at the training ground in the build-up to the must-win Manchester United clash.
Howe's squad face a thorough examination of the goals leaked via video clips in what promises to be an awkward meeting.
United conceded three goals against Everton to go with the nine leaked in recent home games against AFC Bournemouth, Brentford and Leeds, albeit Newcastle did emerge victorious against the Yorkshire side and the Cherries. Howe is eager to get to the bottom of United's defensive woes, not least the timings of when Newcastle are conceding.
One area that was flagged up in the post-game debrief was Newcastle's hurried restart at 2-2 which quickly led to Everton netting the winner at the Leazes End.
Howe said: "If you put a list of our goals, watched a lot of our goals we’re conceding, in the Premier League especially, and put them together, it’s not good showing for us. So we need to focus on that.
"It could have been a very different result again. But we’re just making too many individual errors. It’s costing us goals at the other end. We can’t do that at this level.
"I felt attacking-wise, we could still do loads better today. But we had enough ball around their box. We had enough crossing opportunities. half-chances, Sandro’s hit his volley at the end."
Newcastle have now gone 12 games without a clean sheet in all competitions and have managed just three clean sheets in 2026 so far despite the glut of matches. United go into the game against Manchester United with Howe now well aware of the fact his players are seemingly picking and choosing when to perform.
The former AFC Bournemouth head coach added: "We can raise our game when we need to. "I don't think that's a sign of a top team, though.
"We have to be at that level all the time. The Premier League is so tough. The games are so difficult regardless of who you play or where you play. If you are off, you are going to get punished."
Howe also feels that European competition is harming Newcastle's chances on the domestic front. The Toon boss said: "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’s been really frustrating for us and that is the perils of Europe, I’m afraid, where we’ve tried to be laser-focused on every game and give attention to every game with the same importance."
Find the best flights and hotels for Champions League games
This article contains affiliate links, we will receive a commission on any sales we generate from it. Learn more
Content Image
Content Image
Ensure our latest Newcastle United headlines always appear at the top of your Google Search by making us a Preferred Source. Click here to activate or add us as Preferred Source in your Google search settings