Newcastle head for Crystal Palace today in desperate need of a win to keep their European hopes alive but also to raise spirits on Tyneside.
Despite leading Newcastle to the Carabao Cup semi-finals and Champions League round of 16, Howe is under increased pressure and the head coach admits performances and victories are needed to get doubting fans back on side.
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He said: "We have to try and end the season as strongly as possible and there’s a real responsibility on all of us to deliver that. We don’t underestimate the importance of these games that we have left.
"Also, we have to earn back the trust, respect and love of our supporters. Play with real pride and show how much the shirt and the club means to us all.
"That is number one for me. Of course winning is another perspective, but it’s almost more important how we feel about each other and how the supporters feel about the team. They are fundamental things that we need to deliver."
Howe is delighted to welcome Lewis Miley back into the fold today, with the midfielder having finally recovered from the troublesome leg injury that kept him out for two months.
He said: “He’s been missed massively. Sometimes with players, you know how important they are and with Lewie, we knew all his attributes and how good he is, but he’s added some new strings to his bow in recent games with the versatility.
“Suddenly when we’ve lost that, you don’t just lose one player, you lose almost three or four in one player.
“His composure on the ball, his decision-making, his height, his athleticism, we’ve missed all of those aspects in his performance.
“Yes, he’s only 19 and he’s still getting better and improving al the time, but we’ve got an unbelievable player on our hands and we’ll be delighted to get him back on the pitch."
Howe added: “Hopefully, of course, the injuries will be a thing of the pass for him. We want him to try to stay fit and to build the momentum that every player needs to be at their very best level.
“I see no reason why physically he can’t deliver that. He’s got really nice running style, he’s really professional. He looks after himself in between games probably as well as anyone else in the squad, so I see no issue with him physically.
“Yes, he’s had a couple, the last injury he had was really unlucky and it took a lot longer than we expected, but hopefully that’s a thing of the past for him."