Eddie Howe has been told that Newcastle United need to qualify for Europe in at least some capacity this season.
The mood is low at Newcastle United following a dreadful derby defeat before the international break.
Such a poor performance cannot be justified, even if there are some mitigating circumstances as to why Howe’s team are struggling as a whole this season.
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Quotes from Eddie Howe on Newcastle United losing Alexander Isak. It reads: "Losing Alex was a considerable blow for us."
Credit: Getty Images/Michael Driver/MI News/NurPhoto/Ryan Pierse
It’s difficult to know what to make of it all. A poor season after such a bad summer is perhaps to be expected, but PIF cannot allow a rot to set in.
Indeed, they still want to play European football next season, no matter the difficulties Howe has endured.
PIF want Newcastle United to qualify for Europe
According to The Chronicle, top brass at the club have made it clear that qualification for European football is what is expected this season.
It’s not quite clear whether they mean the Europa League or the Conference League, which are both competitions that Newcastle should have serious designs on winning.
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A club needs to be in it to win it, however, and Howe faces a fight on his hands to qualify.
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A graphic asking Newcastle United fans to rate Kieran Trippier's legacy at the club betwen A* and D.
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Sixth place will likely be enough to get into the Europa League, while seventh could see them qualify for the Conference League.
That is subject to change should any of the English teams left in Europe win their respective competitions.
It will be interesting to see just how ruthless PIF are with this target.
Newcastle owners PIF believe they have a team capable of finishing in the top six, and that would hardly be asking too much given the amount of money they have invested.
Still, there are no serious suggestions at this stage that Howe would be sacked if he were unable to qualify for Europe at the end of the season.
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