Sky Sports analysts Gary Neville and Paul Merson have both come out in support of Eddie Howe’s position at Newcastle United, despite a recent slump that has seen the Magpies tumble from European contention to the lower half of the Premier League standings. Their comments came after Newcastle’s narrow 1-0 loss to Arsenal on Saturday’s "Saturday Night Football" programme, a match that, while showing signs of improvement, still marked the club’s fourth consecutive league defeat. The string of poor results has placed a considerable amount of pressure on Howe, who now finds his side sitting 14th in the table with 42 points – a precarious six points clear of the relegation zone. Nevertheless, both pundits argued that the manager should not be dismissed.
Merson went a step further, suggesting that Chelsea would be eager to hire Howe as they continue their search for a permanent head coach. "I’m a huge fan of Eddie Howe and if he leaves, clubs will be lining up around the corner. Newcastle need to be careful," Merson said during the broadcast.
"Chelsea would take him all day long. We’ve even joked about him being the next England manager – everyone will be queuing to sign him. It should be his decision if he wants to move on. He delivered a trophy for Newcastle for the first time in 70 years, after all." Neville echoed the sentiment, emphasizing that the club should start planning for the next season and give Howe the resources needed to bring the Magpies back into Champions League contention.
On his recent podcast recorded at the Emirates, the former Manchester United defender lamented the disappointing campaign but stressed the importance of stability at the managerial level. "The transfer window at the end of the summer was a real problem for them.
They ended up with Nick Woltemade and Yoane Wissa, and those signings haven’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 at Newcastle it’s the opposite." He continued, "If we lost him, we would have lost an eight‑and‑a‑half out of ten manager – someone reliable, consistent, with a great attitude.
I hope they sit down with Howe, go through the squad, and he outlines the players he wants, the targets he’s eyeing for next season, and gets the business done early while everyone is still thinking about the World Cup." Neville praised 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 – they have one of the best managers around and I believe he can get them back to challenging for Champions League spots next season." Howe is scheduled to meet the Newcastle board later this week. When asked about the upcoming discussion, he told Sky Sports, "These are conversations we have every year.
This one will be a little tougher for me, I’m sure, but it’ll be good to sit with the owners and talk about the future." Midfielder Bruno Guimarães offered a candid assessment of the club’s season after the Arsenal game, admitting that while the team finally displayed passion, the overall performance was still below the standards expected of a club of Newcastle’s stature. "It reminded me a bit of what we’re capable of, but honestly it’s not good enough. We have four games left to try and salvage the season and at least secure European football for next year," Guimarães told Sky Sports.
"The fans are as sad as we are, and we need to improve." He added, "The spark is still there somewhere – you can see it in training. We fought well today, but this season we’ve been bouncing between good and bad performances. It’s not what we want and it’s not what the supporters deserve.
The fire is still there, but we have to show more consistency." When questioned about the possibility of new signings, Guimarães responded, "I hope so. I can’t comment too much as a player, but we need to improve many aspects of the club.
We need help." Both Neville and Merson’s endorsements highlight a broader belief that continuity, coupled with strategic investment in the squad, could see Newcastle rebound from their current mid‑table slump. Their messages suggest that, despite the pressure, the club’s hierarchy should resist the temptation to make a knee‑jerk managerial change and instead focus on strengthening the roster and trusting Howe’s long‑term plan. The upcoming board meeting will be a crucial moment for Newcastle to decide whether to double down on Howe’s project or entertain the numerous suitors reportedly lining up for the manager’s services.