Gary Neville and Paul Merson, both regular Sky Sports analysts, have publicly stood up for Eddie Howe amid a difficult spell for Newcastle United. The Magpies have slipped from a position where European competition seemed within reach to a spot in the lower half of the Premier League table, prompting intense scrutiny of their manager.
Despite a noticeable improvement in the performance against Arsenal on Saturday Night Football, Newcastle still suffered a 1‑0 loss – their fourth consecutive defeat in the league. The result left the club sitting 14th with 42 points, a precarious six points above the relegation zone.
The string of setbacks has put considerable pressure on Howe, but neither Neville nor Merson believes the situation warrants his dismissal. Merson went further, suggesting that if Howe were to depart, Chelsea would be among the first clubs to make a move. "I'm a big fan of Eddie Howe and if he leaves, they will be queuing up around the corner. Be careful Newcastle," he said on Saturday Night Football.
"Chelsea would take him all day long. We were even talking about him being the next England manager.
Everyone will be lining up to sign 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, urging Newcastle to think long‑term and to back Howe in the upcoming transfer window. On his podcast recorded at the Emirates, the former Manchester United defender described the season as "really disappointing" and highlighted the club’s missteps in the summer market. He noted that signings such as Nick Woltemade and Yoane Wissa have yet to make a decisive impact.
"I think full faith and trust in Eddie Howe is the way to go," Neville asserted. "They've got a really good manager. At some clubs it's easier to say ‘let’s change the manager and keep the players because they have long contracts’, but at Newcastle it’s the opposite. Losing Howe would be like losing an eight‑and‑a‑half out of ten manager – someone solid, reliable, consistent, with a great attitude." Neville imagined a scenario where the coaching staff sit down with Howe to map out the squad for next season.
"He’ll be saying ‘these are the players I want, these are the profiles I need, I want to bring in four or five quality additions early while everyone is thinking about the World Cup’." He stressed that the club must back Howe financially and strategically, buying into his vision to restore the team to a Champions League‑challenging position. Howe himself confirmed a meeting with Newcastle’s hierarchy is scheduled for the week, describing it as a routine but slightly more demanding discussion than usual.
"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 appraisal of the season, acknowledging that the side finally displayed genuine passion in the narrow loss to title‑chasing Arsenal. "This reminded me a little bit of what we are able to do but, to be fair, it’s not good enough.
We have four games to save it and at least try to qualify for European football next season," he said. Guimarães admitted the fans share the players’ disappointment and emphasized the need for consistency. "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. The spark is still there somewhere – you can see it in training – but we have to show more. It’s not easy when you’re fighting for a trophy, but at least today we showed passion.
Overall, it’s not enough." When asked about the prospect of new signings, Guimarães expressed hope but cautioned that he could not comment extensively as a player. "I think we have to improve a lot of things in the club. We need help," he concluded. In summary, both Neville and Merson argue that Newcastle should resist knee‑jerk reactions and instead reinforce their commitment to Eddie Howe.
They point to his historic trophy win, his reputation among top clubs, and his potential to rebuild a squad capable of challenging for Europe. The upcoming meetings between Howe and the club’s board will be crucial in determining whether Newcastle chooses to double down on the current managerial direction or entertain the lucrative offers rumored from Premier League heavyweights such as Chelsea. The next few weeks will likely define the Magpies’ trajectory for the remainder of the season and beyond.