Sky Sports analysts Gary Neville and Paul Merson have both come out in defence of Eddie Howe, the Newcastle United manager, even though the Magpies have endured a slump that has seen them slip from European contention to the lower half of the Premier League standings. Their comments came after Newcastle’s performance against Arsenal on Saturday night, a game that, while markedly better than previous outings, still ended in a 1-0 defeat – the fourth straight loss in the league for the club. The string of defeats has placed Howe under significant scrutiny, with Newcastle currently sitting 14th on the table with 42 points, a precarious position that is only six points above the relegation zone.
Despite the pressure, neither Neville nor Merson believes that Howe should be dismissed. In fact, Merson went further, suggesting that Chelsea would be eager to hire him as soon as the opportunity arose, given their ongoing search for a permanent manager.
"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 on the Sky Sports programme Saturday Night Football. "Chelsea would take him all day long. We were even talking about him being the next England manager.
Everyone will be lining 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 added that he hopes Newcastle are already planning for the next season and that Howe can guide the team back into Champions League contention. On his own podcast, recorded at the Emirates over the weekend, the former Manchester United defender described the current campaign as "really disappointing." He highlighted the club’s transfer activity in the summer window as a major factor, noting that signings such as Nick Woltemade and Yoane Wissa have yet to deliver the expected impact.
"I think full faith and trust in Eddie Howe is the way to go," Neville argued. "They’ve got 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’; at Newcastle it’s the opposite.
If we lost him, we would lose an eight-and-a-half‑out‑of‑10 manager – someone solid, reliable, consistent, with a great attitude." He 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 next season, identify the players he wants to retain, and target a handful of new signings before the World Cup break. "They’ll be thinking ‘if we lose him, we’ve lost a top‑class manager,’" Neville said. "I hope they sit down with Eddie, go through the squad, and decide which players are essential and which areas need reinforcement." Neville emphasized that Newcastle need to back Howe fully, both in terms of transfer budget and institutional support. "They’re a really good side, I enjoy watching them, and they’ll 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 have one of the very best managers and he can get them back up challenging for the Champions League next season." Howe himself acknowledged the upcoming discussions with the club’s owners, describing them as a routine part of the season but noting that this year’s talks will be slightly more challenging. "These are things we always have every year. This one will be a bit harder for me, I’m sure, but it’ll be good to meet with the owners and discuss the future," he told Sky Sports on Saturday. Mid‑fielder Bruno Guimarães offered a candid appraisal of Newcastle’s season after the narrow loss to Arsenal, admitting that while the team finally displayed some "passion" in that match, overall performance remains below the standards expected of a club of Newcastle’s stature.
"This reminded me a little bit of what we are capable of, but to be fair, it’s not good enough," Guimarães said. "We have four games left to try to rescue the season and at least secure European football for next year." He acknowledged the disappointment felt by fans, noting that the squad has been inconsistent, bouncing between strong and weak displays.
"The spark is still there somewhere – you can see it in training. We fought well today, but this season we have been alternating between good and bad games.
It’s not what we want and it’s not what the fans deserve," he added. When asked about the possibility of new signings to bolster the squad after a grueling schedule across multiple competitions, Guimarães expressed optimism but remained cautious.
"I hope so. I can’t comment too much as I’m just a player, but I think we have to improve many aspects of the club. We need help," he said. Both pundits and players thus converge on a common theme: despite recent setbacks, there is a strong belief that Eddie Howe remains the right man to steer Newcastle back to the upper echelons of English football.
The club’s immediate priority appears to be stabilising the current campaign, while simultaneously laying the groundwork for a more ambitious push next season, potentially targeting a return to the Champions League. The upcoming meeting between Howe and the Newcastle board will be crucial in setting the strategic direction, confirming transfer targets, and reaffirming the mutual commitment that both Neville and Merson argue is essential for future success.