Sky Sports analysts Gary Neville and Paul Merson have publicly stood by Eddie Howe’s position at Newcastle United, even though the team’s recent form has seen them slip from a potential European‑qualification spot to a mid‑table standing in the Premier League. The Magpies’ recent performance against Arsenal on Saturday’s edition of "Saturday Night Football" showed noticeable improvement, yet they still fell 1‑0, marking their fourth straight league defeat and intensifying the scrutiny on Howe’s tenure. Currently, Newcastle sit 14th on the table with 42 points, a precarious six points clear of the relegation zone. Despite the mounting pressure, both pundits argue that Howe should retain his job.
Merson even suggested that a club like Chelsea would be eager to hire him immediately, especially as they continue their search for a permanent manager. "I’m a huge fan of Eddie Howe and if he were to leave, you can be sure there would be a line of clubs around the corner ready to snap him up. Newcastle should be careful," Merson said on the broadcast.
"Chelsea would take him all day long. We’ve even joked about him being a future England manager – everyone will be lining up to get him. It should be his decision if he wants to move on. He gave the club a trophy for the first time in 70 years." Neville echoed the sentiment, urging the club to start planning for the next season and to give Howe the resources needed to push the Magpies back into Champions League contention.
On his podcast recorded at the Emirates over the weekend, the former defender lamented the season’s disappointments, particularly the transfer activity at the close of the summer window. "The business at the end of the window was a real problem for them. They ended up with Nick Woltemade and Yoane Wissa, and those signings haven’t paid off yet," Neville noted. "Full faith and trust in Eddie Howe is the way to go.
They have a great manager. At some clubs you can say ‘let’s change the manager and keep the players because they have long contracts’, but at Newcastle it’s the opposite." He continued, emphasizing Howe’s value: "If we lost him, we’d lose an eight‑and‑a‑half out of ten manager – a reliable, consistent performer with a fantastic attitude. I hope they’re sitting down with Eddie, going through the squad, and he’s saying ‘these are the players I want, these are the ones I need to bring in for next season, I want to secure four or five targets now while everyone is thinking about the World Cup.’ They have a great side, I enjoy watching them, and they need to back their manager properly.
That’s what I’d do if I were Newcastle. They have one of the best managers in the league, and I think he can get them back to challenging for the Champions League next season." Howe is scheduled to meet the Newcastle hierarchy later this week.
When asked about the upcoming discussion, he replied, "These are the things we have every year. This one will be slightly harder for me, I’m sure, but it’ll be good to meet the owners and discuss the future." Midfielder Bruno Guimarães offered a candid assessment of the club’s season after the narrow loss to Arsenal. He admitted that the team finally displayed "passion" in that match, but warned that the overall performance was still below the required standard. "It reminded me a bit of what we’re capable of, but honestly it’s not good enough.
I know the season hasn’t lived up to expectations," Guimarães told Sky Sports. "We have four games left to turn things around and at least try to secure European football for next season.
The fans are as upset as we are, and we must improve." He added that the spark still exists within the squad: "The spark is still somewhere, you can see it in training. We fought well today, but this season we’ve 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 still there, but we need to show more because it’s not enough. It’s hard when you’re a team fighting for a trophy, but at least today we showed passion.
Overall, it’s still not sufficient." When questioned about the possibility of new signings to rejuvenate the squad after a demanding schedule across multiple competitions, Guimarães expressed optimism but remained cautious about speaking on transfer policy. "I hope so. I can’t comment too much because I’m just a player, but I think we need to improve many aspects of the club.
We need help," he said. In summary, both Neville and Merson argue that the club should maintain faith in Howe, giving him the backing required to rebuild the squad and aim for higher ambitions. The consensus is that the manager’s track record, including delivering a historic trophy, warrants patience and strategic investment rather than a hasty dismissal.
The upcoming meeting between Howe and the club’s hierarchy will be crucial in outlining the roadmap for the next season, potentially involving strategic player acquisitions and a clear vision to re‑establish Newcastle United as a contender for European competition.