Sky Sports analysts Gary Neville and Paul Merson have both stepped forward to defend Eddie Howe’s position at Newcastle United, even though the club’s recent form has been disappointing. A string of poor results has seen the Magpies slip from any realistic European ambitions into the lower half of the Premier League table.
Newcastle’s most recent outing was a markedly better display against Arsenal on Saturday Night Football, but the effort still ended in a 1‑0 loss – the fourth consecutive defeat in the league. The defeat has intensified the scrutiny on Howe, who now finds his side sitting 14th with 42 points, a precarious six points above the relegation zone. Despite the pressure, neither Neville nor Merson believes the manager should be dismissed.
Merson went further, suggesting that a club like Chelsea would be eager to hire Howe immediately as they continue their search for a permanent head coach. "I’m a big fan of Eddie Howe and if he leaves, they’ll be queuing up around the corner. Be careful, Newcastle," Merson said on the broadcast. "Chelsea would take him all day long.
We were even talking about him as a potential England manager. Everyone will be lining up to snap him up.
It should be his decision if he wants to leave. He delivered a trophy for the club for the first time in 70 years." Neville echoed the sentiment, emphasizing that the club should start planning for the next season and give Howe the resources needed to push the Magpies back into Champions League contention. On his recent podcast recorded at the Emirates, the former Manchester United defender described the campaign as "really disappointing" and pointed to the summer transfer window as a key factor.
"The business at the end of the window was a real problem for them. They ended up with Nick Woltemade and Yoane Wissa and that hasn’t paid off yet," Neville explained. "I think full faith and trust in Eddie Howe is the way to go. They have a very 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 it’s the opposite at Newcastle." He continued, "If we lost him, we’d lose an eight‑and‑a‑half out of ten manager – someone solid, reliable, consistent, with a great attitude. I hope they sit down with Eddie, go through the squad, and he tells them which players he wants to keep, which ones he wants to bring in for next season.
They need to act early while everyone is still thinking about the World Cup." Neville praised the quality of the current squad, saying, "They’re a really good side, I enjoy watching them, and they need to back their manager properly, buy into his vision. That’s what I’d do if I were Newcastle because I think they have one of the very best managers and he can get them back up challenging for the Champions League next season." Howe is scheduled to meet the Newcastle hierarchy later this week. When asked about the upcoming talks, he responded, "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." Mid‑fielder Bruno Guimarães offered a candid assessment of the season, acknowledging that the team finally showed a spark of passion in the narrow defeat to title‑chasing Arsenal.
Speaking to Sky Sports, he said, "This reminded me a little bit of what we are capable of, but to be fair it’s not good enough. I know our season isn’t where we want it to be." Guimarães added, "We have four games left to try to save the season and at least secure European football for next year. I know the fans are very sad – the same as we are – and we definitely have to improve." He highlighted the inconsistency that has plagued Newcastle: "The spark is still there somewhere, you can see it in training. We fought well today but this season we’ve 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 still there but we have to show more because it’s not good enough. It’s not easy with a team fighting for the trophy. At least today we showed passion, but overall, not good enough." When asked whether the club should bring in fresh faces after a gruelling schedule, Guimarães replied, "I hope so.
I can’t comment too much as I’m just a player, but we need to improve a lot of things in the club. We need help." In summary, both former players turned pundits are urging Newcastle United to stick with Eddie Howe, to trust his long‑term plan, and to back him with strategic signings before the summer window closes. Their argument is that stability, combined with targeted recruitment, could see the Magpies rebound from their current mid‑table slump and once again challenge for European spots, perhaps even the Champions League, in the near future.