Gary Neville and former England midfielder Paul Merson have both stepped forward to defend Eddie Howe’s position at Newcastle United, even though the club’s recent form has slipped dramatically. After a string of disappointing results that have seen the Magpies tumble from a potential European‑competition contender to a mid‑table side, the two Sky Sports pundits remain convinced that Howe deserves the backing of the board and the fans. Newcastle’s most recent outing was a hard‑fought but ultimately fruitless encounter with Arsenal on Saturday’s "Saturday Night Football" broadcast.
Despite showing a noticeable improvement in their play, the Magpies fell 1‑0, marking their fourth consecutive Premier League defeat. The loss left Newcastle sitting 14th in the league with 42 points – a precariously narrow margin of just six points above the relegation zone.
The pressure on Howe, who has guided the club to unprecedented heights in recent seasons, has never been greater. Nevertheless, both Neville and Merson dismissed any notion that the manager should be sacked.
Merson went a step further, suggesting that if Howe were to walk away, Chelsea would be lining up around the corner to hire him without hesitation. "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 even talking about him as a potential 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 the sentiment, urging Newcastle to look beyond the short‑term slump and focus on building a squad capable of challenging for the Champions League next season. On his own podcast recorded at the Emirates over the weekend, Neville described the campaign as "really disappointing" but stressed that the club’s transfer activity in the summer window had been a major factor.
He highlighted the signings of Nick Woltemade and Yoane Wissa as examples of players who have yet to make a decisive impact. "I think full faith and trust in Eddie Howe is the way to go," Neville asserted.
"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’, but it’s absolutely the other way around at Newcastle.
If we lost him, we’d have lost an eight‑and‑a‑half out of ten manager – solid, reliable, consistent, with a great attitude." Neville went on to speculate about the upcoming meetings between Howe and the club’s hierarchy. He imagined a scenario where Howe would outline his vision for the squad, identifying the players he wants to retain, the positions that need reinforcement, and a plan to complete business early before the World Cup break. "They’ll be thinking ‘if we lost him, we’ve lost a manager who delivers,’" Neville said.
"I hope they sit down with Eddie, go through the squad, and decide which five or six players to bring in for next season." Howe himself was asked about the impending talks with the owners, and he responded that such meetings are a regular part of the season, though this one would be "slightly harder" given the current circumstances. He expressed optimism that a candid discussion would help set a clear direction for the future. The players’ perspective was also captured in comments from midfielder Bruno Guimarães, who offered a candid assessment of the season after the narrow loss to Arsenal. Guimarães admitted that while the team finally displayed a spark of passion, the overall performance was still below the standards expected at Newcastle.
"This reminded me a little bit of what we are able to do, but to be fair, it’s not good enough," he told Sky Sports. "We have four games to save it and at least try to qualify for European football next season." He acknowledged the disappointment felt by supporters, saying, "I know the fans are very sad – the same as we are – and definitely we have to improve." Guimarães highlighted the inconsistency that has plagued the campaign, noting that the side has been bouncing between good and bad performances. "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." When asked whether he hoped for fresh signings to bolster the squad after a grueling schedule, Guimarães replied, "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." His remarks underscore a broader consensus among the squad that reinforcement is essential if Newcastle hopes to finish the season strongly and lay the groundwork for a future push.
In summary, the prevailing narrative among the pundits, the manager, and the players is one of cautious optimism. Despite a disappointing run that has seen the Magpies slip into the lower half of the table, there is a clear belief that Eddie Howe remains the right person to steer the club back to the top. Both Neville and Merson argue that dismissing him now would be a short‑sighted move, especially when other top clubs like Chelsea are reportedly monitoring his availability.
The upcoming meetings between Howe and Newcastle’s board will be crucial in shaping the transfer strategy and setting realistic targets for the remainder of the season and beyond. The club’s ability to act decisively in the transfer market, retain key talent, and support Howe’s vision will determine whether they can revive their campaign and once again aim for European competition, or risk a prolonged period of mediocrity.