Gary Neville and Paul Merson, both regular Sky Sports analysts, have publicly thrown their support behind Eddie Howe despite Newcastle United’s recent slump that has seen the Magpies tumble from a European‑qualification challenge to a mid‑table position. Their comments came after Newcastle’s narrow 1‑0 loss to Arsenal on Saturday’s edition of Saturday Night Football, marking the club’s fourth consecutive defeat in the Premier League and intensifying scrutiny on Howe’s tenure. The defeat left Newcastle perched 14th in the league with 42 points, a mere six points above the relegation zone.
Yet, neither Neville nor Merson believes the manager’s job is in jeopardy. Merson went so far as to suggest that Chelsea would be eager to recruit Howe "all day long" should he decide to leave, implying that the London club is already lining up a queue of potential suitors. "I’m a huge fan of Eddie Howe and if he walks out, clubs will be lining up around the corner. Newcastle needs to be careful," Merson said during the broadcast.
"Chelsea would take him all day long. We were even talking about him possibly becoming the next England manager.
Everyone will be queuing up to take him. It should be his decision if he wants to move on – he gave the club its first trophy in 70 years." Neville echoed the sentiment, urging Newcastle to start planning for the next season and to give Howe the resources required to restore the club to Champions League contention.
Speaking on his own podcast from the Emirates, the former Manchester United defender described the campaign as "really disappointing" and highlighted the club’s transfer missteps at the close of the summer window. He noted that signings such as Nick Woltemade and Yoane Wissa have yet to make a meaningful impact. "Full faith and trust in Eddie Howe is the way forward," Neville asserted.
"They have a fantastic manager. At some clubs you can simply replace the manager and keep the players on long contracts, but at Newcastle it’s the opposite – you need a manager you can rely on. Losing Howe would be losing an eight‑and‑a‑half out of ten manager, someone solid, consistent, with a great attitude." Neville went on to speculate about the upcoming meeting between Howe and the club’s hierarchy, suggesting that the manager will outline his squad plans for the following season.
"He’ll likely say, ‘These are the players I want, these are the profiles I’m targeting, I need to bring in four or five quality signings early while everyone is focused on the World Cup.’" Neville emphasized that the board must back Howe decisively, investing in the personnel he identifies. When asked by Sky Sports about the upcoming discussions with the owners, Howe responded that such meetings are a routine part of every season, though he anticipated this one would be "slightly harder" given the current circumstances. He expressed confidence that the dialogue would be constructive and focused on the club’s future direction.
Mid‑fielder Bruno Guimarães offered a candid appraisal of Newcastle’s season, acknowledging that the team finally displayed genuine "passion" in the tight loss to Arsenal, yet conceding that overall performances have been inconsistent. "This reminded me a bit of what we’re capable of, but honestly it’s not good enough. We have four games left to try to secure European football for next season," he told Sky Sports.
Guimarães admitted the supporters share the squad’s disappointment and stressed the need for improvement. "We’ve been bouncing between good games and bad games all season. It’s not what the fans deserve. The spark is still there – you can see it in training – but we have to show more consistency.
It’s not easy fighting for a trophy when you’re also battling to stay clear of the drop." When questioned about potential new signings, Guimarães said he hoped the club would bring in fresh faces after a grueling schedule across multiple competitions. "I can’t comment too much as a player, but we definitely need to improve many aspects of the club. We need help." Both pundits and players therefore converge on a common theme: despite a turbulent season, there remains a belief that Eddie Howe possesses the managerial qualities required to steer Newcastle back toward the upper echelons of English football. The upcoming board meeting will be crucial in determining whether the club will double‑down on Howe’s vision, invest in targeted transfers, and aim to re‑establish themselves as Champions League contenders for the 2024‑25 campaign.