Gary Neville and former England midfielder Paul Merson took to Sky Sports' "Saturday Night Football" to voice their unwavering support for Eddie Howe, the Newcastle United head coach, despite the recent dip in form that has seen the Magpies slip from a potential European spot to the lower half of the Premier League table. Newcastle's most recent outing was a hard‑fought but ultimately futile encounter against Arsenal, where they fell 1-0. It marked the fourth consecutive league defeat for the club and has intensified the scrutiny on Howe, who now finds his side sitting 14th with 42 points – a precariously narrow six‑point cushion above the relegation zone. Both pundits, however, were quick to dismiss any notion that Howe's tenure should be cut short.
Merson, in particular, suggested that if the Newcastle board ever decided to part ways with the manager, the English giants Chelsea would be first in line to hire him, even hinting that the club might consider him for the England job in the future. "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 talking about him being the next England manager. Everyone will be queueing 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 this sentiment, emphasizing that the club should already be planning for the next season and that Howe has the capacity to guide Newcastle back into Champions League contention. On his own podcast recorded at the Emirates over the weekend, the former Manchester United defender painted a picture of a disappointing campaign but also highlighted the structural issues that have hampered the team. "The transfer business at the end of the window in the summer 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. "I think full faith and trust in Eddie Howe is the way to go. 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." He went on to stress the rarity of finding a manager who consistently delivers solid performances, describing Howe as "an eight‑and‑a‑half out of ten manager" – a rare blend of reliability, consistency and a positive attitude. Neville urged the club hierarchy to sit down with Howe, map out the squad for the upcoming season, and identify the key signings needed to strengthen the team.
"I hope they're sitting down with Eddie Howe and they're going through the squad and he's saying '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're going to 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 there and I think he'll get them back up challenging for Champions League next season." Howe himself confirmed that a meeting with the club's board is scheduled for the week, describing it as a routine part of the season but acknowledging that this particular discussion might be more challenging given the current circumstances. "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," Howe told Sky Sports when asked. The players' perspective was also shared during the programme. Bruno Guimarães offered a candid assessment of Newcastle's campaign, noting that despite a brief spark of passion in the narrow loss to title‑chasing Arsenal, the overall performance has been inconsistent.
"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," Guimarães said. He highlighted the urgency of the situation, pointing out that only four games remain to salvage a respectable finish and possibly secure a spot in European competition for the following season. "We have four games to save it and at least try to qualify for European football next season. I know the fans are very sad – the same as we are – and definitely we have to improve," he added.
Guimarães also spoke about the underlying potential within the squad, emphasizing that the "spark" is still present and that the team shows a strong work ethic in training. However, he lamented the erratic nature of their performances, describing the season as a roller‑coaster of good and bad games that does not meet the standards expected by the club or its supporters. "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. It's not easy with a team that's fighting for the trophy.
At least today we showed passion but, overall, not good enough," Guimarães explained. When asked whether he hoped the club would bring in fresh faces to rejuvenate the squad after a grueling schedule across multiple competitions, Guimarães responded positively but cautiously.
"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 said. In summary, both former players turned pundits and the current squad are united in the belief that Eddie Howe remains the right man for the job.
They argue that stability, strategic recruitment, and unwavering backing from the board are essential ingredients for Newcastle to rediscover the form that saw them lift a historic trophy for the first time in seven decades and to aim for Champions League qualification in the near future. The consensus is clear: fire away any thoughts of a managerial change and instead double down on supporting Howe's vision for the Magpies.