Wanting Eddie Howe sacked as Newcastle United manager is no longer the contrarian point of view.
What started as a vocal minority is quickly becoming the majority. After Newcastle United’s latest derby-day capitulation, the future looks bleak for Eddie Howe.
In December, following another self-inflicted Sunderland defeat, the Magpies swiftly moved on to face Fulham three days later. There is no hiding place this time. During the two-week international break, Howe and his players will be firmly in the firing line.
Vitriol is rife on Tyneside. The team let its city down once again. Howe’s team, it should be noted. This is his system. Joelinton aside, everyone who started was bought under his stewardship.
Who played Nick Woltemade in midfield? Howe. Why was Yoane Wissa - en route to becoming Newcastle’s biggest flop ever - bought for £55million? Or what about Anthony Elanga, the erratic wideman who would run Wissa close for that undesired honour? You guessed right.
This is not calling for Howe to be sacked. The Toon boss will always be respected - by every Newcastle fan - for the cup win. But as the full-time whistle blew on Sunday, it genuinely seemed as though this could be it for him.
The debate is very much alive and a clearer picture will likely be drawn in the coming days. But anyone calling for his head can certainly no longer be called foolish, ungrateful, fickle or any of the other buzzwords the Howe zealots weaponise.
There can be no denying the mitigating factors behind Newcastle’s season. They kissed goodbye to Champions League qualification the moment treacherous former striker Alexander Isak downed tools. No sporting director or CEO last summer also crippled the plan of attack.
But consecutive defeats to their bitter rivals is a brutal reality that must be placed firmly at Howe’s door. Managers and players live and die by the Tyne-Wear derby - just ask Ruud Gullit.
This was a newly promoted Sunderland side without their first-choice goalkeeper, centre-back, right-back or midfield talisman. Having taken an early lead through a mistake, the Black Cats were there for the taking.
But Howe failed to motivate his players for the biggest game of all. As was the case against Brentford and Everton, anxiety began to ripple through the Newcastle ranks. The Magpies caked themselves - and the visitors smelled blood.
As Sunderland grew stronger, the weaker and more abject Newcastle became. From an attacking sense, this was as spineless and disconnected a United performance in some time. And who is to blame? The manager.
Ultimately, the buck lies with him. Howe’s unwillingness to shift players whose Newcastle careers should have finished years ago is the chicken that has come home to roost.
The sagacious, attack-minded tactician that first arrived in November 2021 has not been seen at all this season. His current Newcastle side is meek and submissive. The Sunderland embarrassment was simply all of their problems laid bare.
Sacking Howe would feel dirty. It draws parallels to putting down the family dog. But do Newcastle seriously need to start thinking about the ultimate head vs heart decision?
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