Sky Sports analysts Gary Neville and Paul Merson have both come out in strong support of Eddie Howe, the Newcastle United manager, despite the recent dip in form that has seen the Magpies slide from European contention to the lower half of the Premier League table. Their comments came after Newcastle’s latest outing, a narrow 1-0 defeat to Arsenal on Saturday’s "Saturday Night Football" broadcast. Although the team displayed a noticeable improvement in performance, the loss marked the fourth consecutive Premier League defeat and intensified the scrutiny on Howe’s position. At the time of writing, Newcastle sit 14th with 42 points, a precarious six points above the relegation zone.
The pressure on Howe is palpable, yet both pundits argued that his job should be safe. Merson went a step further, suggesting that if Howe were to depart, Chelsea would be the first club to move quickly and secure his services, as they continue their search for a permanent manager. "I'm a big fan of Eddie Howe and if he leaves, they will be queuing up around the corner.
Be careful Newcastle," Merson said during the broadcast. "Chelsea would take him all day long. We were even talking about him being the next England manager.
Everyone will be lining up to take him. It should be his decision if he wants to leave. He won a trophy for the club for the first time in 70 years." Neville echoed the sentiment, emphasizing that Newcastle should already be planning for the next season and that Howe has the capability to guide the club back into Champions League contention.
On his recent podcast recorded at the Emirates, the former Manchester United defender described the current campaign as "really disappointing" and highlighted the club’s transfer missteps over the summer. "The transfer business at the end of the window was a real problem for them. They ended up with Nick Woltemade and Yoane Wissa and that's just not paid off yet," Neville explained. He stressed that faith in Howe is essential: "They've got a really good manager.
Where at some clubs it's easier to say ‘let’s shift the manager and keep the players because they’ve got five‑ or six‑year contracts’, it’s absolutely the other way around at Newcastle." Neville warned that losing Howe would be a massive blow: "If we lost him, we’ve lost an eight‑and‑a‑half out of ten manager, someone who is solid, reliable, consistent and has a great attitude." He urged the club hierarchy to sit down with Howe and map out the squad for the upcoming season, identifying target signings and planning early to avoid the distractions of the World Cup. "They’ll be thinking ‘these are the players I want, these are the players I’m going to bring in for next season, I want to get these four or five in, and I want our business done early while everyone’s thinking about the World Cup’," Neville said.
"They’re a really good side, I like watching them and they’ll need to back their manager properly, buy into him, back him. That’s what I’d do if I were Newcastle because I think they’ve got one of the very best managers and he’ll get them back up challenging for the Champions League next season." Howe himself confirmed that a meeting with Newcastle’s board is scheduled for the week, describing it as a routine part of the season but acknowledging it will be a bit more challenging this time around. "These are things we always have every year.
This one will be slightly harder for me, I’m sure, but it’ll be good to meet with the owners and discuss the future," he told Sky Sports. Midfielder Bruno Guimarães offered a candid assessment of Newcastle’s season after the Arsenal game, noting that while the team finally displayed "passion" in the narrow loss, the overall performance was still below expectations.
"This reminded me a little bit of what we are able to do but, to be fair, it’s not good enough, our season, I know it. We have four games to save it and at least try to qualify for European football next season," Guimarães said. He acknowledged the disappointment felt by fans and the squad alike and emphasized the need for improvement.
"The spark is still there somewhere, if you see the way we train well. We fought well today but this season we have been bouncing between a good game and a bad game. It’s not what we want and it’s not what the fans deserve.
I can see the fire is still there but we have to show more because it’s not good enough." When asked whether the club should bring in new players after a grueling schedule across multiple competitions, Guimarães expressed optimism but also a realistic view of his role as a player rather than a decision‑maker. "I hope so. I cannot comment too much as I’m just a player but I think we have to improve a lot of things in the club. We need help," he added.
In summary, both Neville and Merson argue that Eddie Howe remains a valuable asset for Newcastle United. They caution against rash decisions, suggesting that the club’s future success hinges on backing Howe, refining the transfer strategy, and possibly adding fresh talent to strengthen the squad.
Their combined message is clear: keep faith in Howe, plan proactively for the next season, and resist the temptation to let other clubs, especially Chelsea, poach a manager who has already delivered a historic trophy and has the potential to restore Newcastle to the upper echelons of English football.