Newcastle United head coach Eddie Howe is under serious pressure after a 2-1 defeat to rivals Sunderland left the side sitting 12th in the Premier League table.
Newcastle United have exited all cup competitions and are on course for their lowest Premier League finish under Eddie Howe.
A 7-2 Champions League exit at Barcelona, followed by a 2-1 derby defeat to Sunderland, marked a bruising week for Howe and Newcastle.
The Magpies boss has accepted the criticism put his way following the defeats and accepted he and his side must do better. Failure to turn things around would see Newcastle miss out on Europe and potentially finish lower than they did in Howe’s first season in charge.
The former AFC Bournemouth boss led a Newcastle side, sitting at the foot of the Premier League table and without a win until December, out of relegation danger and up to 11th in the table. The side then carried that momentum into Howe’s first full season in charge to claim a fourth-place finish, Carabao Cup final and Champions League qualification.
Despite regressing the following season, Newcastle were able to secure a seventh placed finish in the Premier League which would have been enough to secure Conference League football had Manchester United not won the FA Cup after the league season had concluded.
But missing out on Europe may have been a blessing in disguise for Howe’s side as the best was yet to come. Last season, Newcastle finished fifth in the Premier League, securing Champions League qualification for the second time in three seasons while also ending a 70-year domestic trophy drought by winning the Carabao Cup.
With Howe’s stock at an all-time high, a difficult summer followed and has taken its toll this season.
And after two derby defeats, the club’s heaviest ever European loss, Howe’s so-called ‘credit in the bank’ has virtually ran out as the side sit midtable with seven games left to play.
The manager has divided opinion among the fanbase this season, but has he divided opinion in the dressing room?
Of course not every head coach can be universally liked by every member of the squad and Howe will be no different.
But that hasn’t stopped him receiving several glowing endorsements from his players.
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Lewis hall praises ‘top’ Eddie Howe
The latest of whom is England international, Lewis Hall. The left-back expressed his gratitude for the work Howe has done with him to help his career.
“He's been a massive help for me,” Hall said during an England press conference this week “I think when I first came to the club, I was obviously incredibly young, very inexperienced.
“Although I had a few games in the Premier League and stuff under my belt, I think I was definitely far from the player that I am now. Obviously, I've still got a long way to go to where I want to be and where I believe I can be.
“But I think he's done so much to help me be in the position I am now. He's helped me a lot off the pitch in terms of ways to be around the training ground, how to interact with other lads and things like that.
“And then on the pitch speaks for itself. I think he's shown me a lot of belief in me. Then I think obviously he's taught me a lot of the defensive side of my game, which I think was the main area that I needed to improve when I first joined. He spent a lot of time staying behind after training and working with me.
“So yeah, I'm always grateful for that and he's a top coach.”
Sandro Tonali on Eddie Howe
Sandro Tonali’s future at Newcastle may be uncertain, but he is another player who recently commented on his relationship with Howe.
Last month, Tonali said: “People spoke about our relationship, but I work every day with the gaffer, the gaffer works every day with me, and our relationship is perfect. It's not broken and I think this is perfect for the team.
"We try to do the best for this team, every game, because we play a lot of games - every three days, we play, and we have to be concentrated every time in the training ground to do the best for our team."
‘No doubt’ - Bruno Guimaraes predicts Eddie Howe’s next job
Still lapping up the joy of a Carabao Cup final win and Champions League qualification, Bruno Guimaraes gave Howe a glowing endorsement last summer, while also naming his next managerial role.
“It’s tough to describe what a fabulous human being he is,” Guimaraes said.
“You’d have to work with him on a daily basis to get the full picture of what I’m talking about. He is by far the best European coach I’ve had. No doubt he’ll be England manager one day.”
Guimaraes, like Tonali, has also been linked with a move away from Newcastle this summer. There is frustration in the dressing room, it’s understandable for a squad and a manager who have largely underachieved at least in the Premier League so far this season.
But right now, Howe has the backing of the club and seemingly his players as they look to salvage something from the 2025/26 campaign with seven games left to play.
With the likes of Guimaraes set to return from injury and the fixture schedule easing, Newcaslte will have no excuses not to put a strong run of form together as they look to keep their slim chance of European qualification alive.
The Magpies currently sit seven points outside the Champions League places and four outside what is currently a Conference League spot following Manchester City’s Carabao Cup win.
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