Sky Sports analysts Gary Neville and Paul Merson have both come out in defence of Eddie Howe’s position at Newcastle United, despite the recent dip in form that has seen the Magpies slip from European contention into the lower half of the Premier League table. Newcastle managed a noticeably better display against Arsenal on Saturday night’s Sky Sports programme, but the effort still ended in a 1‑0 loss – marking their fourth consecutive defeat in the league. The string of setbacks has placed Howe under intense scrutiny, with the club now sitting 14th with 42 points, a mere six points above the relegation zone.
Both pundits, however, argue that the manager’s job should not be on the chopping block. Merson went so far as to suggest that Chelsea would snap up Howe immediately if he were to become available, noting that the London club is already scouring the market for a permanent head coach. "I’m a huge fan of Eddie Howe and if he leaves, you’ll see a line forming 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 lining up to hire him.
It should be his decision if he wants to move on. He delivered a trophy for the club for the first time in 70 years." Neville added that he hopes Newcastle are already planning for next season and that Howe can guide the Magpies back into Champions League contention. Speaking on his own podcast recorded at the Emirates over the weekend, the former Manchester United defender lamented the club’s disappointing campaign. "The transfer business at the end of the summer window was a real problem for them.
They ended up with Nick Woltemade and Yoane Wissa and those deals haven’t paid off yet," Neville explained. "I think full faith and trust in Eddie Howe is the way forward." He continued, "They have 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. If we lost him, we would have lost an eight‑and‑a‑half out of ten manager – solid, reliable, consistent, and with a great attitude." Neville urged the club hierarchy to sit down with Howe and map out the squad for the upcoming season.
"He should be saying, ‘these are the players I want, these are the ones I’ll bring in, I want to secure four or five signings early while everyone is thinking about the World Cup.’ They need to back him properly, invest in his vision, and give him the tools to compete for Champions League spots next year." Howe is scheduled to meet the Newcastle board later this week. When Sky Sports asked him about the meeting, he replied, "We have these discussions 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." Mid‑fielder Bruno Guimarães offered a candid assessment of the season, admitting that despite showing a spark of passion in the narrow defeat to title‑chasing Arsenal, the overall performance was insufficient. "This reminded me a bit of what we are capable of, but honestly it’s not good enough.
We have four games left to try and secure European football for next season," he told Sky Sports. He added, "The fans are as sad as we are, and we need to improve.
The spark is still there – you can see it in training – but we’ve been bouncing between good and bad games all season. It’s not what we want and it’s not what the supporters deserve." Guimarães also addressed the need for fresh faces in the squad, saying, "I hope the club brings in new players after such a grueling schedule across 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 Neville and Merson emphasised that while the current results are disappointing, the underlying foundation at Newcastle remains strong.
They highlighted Howe’s track record – guiding the club to its first major trophy in seven decades – as evidence that stability and continued investment could restore the team to the upper echelons of English football. In summary, the consensus among the Sky Sports panel is clear: Eddie Howe deserves the backing of both the board and the fans. Dismissing him now could trigger a scramble among top clubs, with Chelsea reportedly ready to make a move. The Magpies must decide whether to stand by the manager who delivered historic success, or to join the chorus of clubs looking for a quick fix.
The next few weeks, including Howe’s meeting with the hierarchy and the final stretch of fixtures, will be pivotal in determining Newcastle’s direction for the coming season.