Sky Sports analysts Gary Neville and Paul Merson have both come out in support of Eddie Howe, the Newcastle United manager, despite the recent dip in form that has seen the Magpies slip from a potential European spot to the lower half of the Premier League table. Their comments came after Newcastle’s improved display against Arsenal on Saturday’s edition of Saturday Night Football, a performance that ultimately ended in a 1-0 loss – the club’s fourth consecutive defeat in the league. The string of setbacks has placed considerable pressure on Howe, with Newcastle now sitting 14th with 42 points, a mere six points above the relegation zone.
Both pundits, however, argued that dismissing Howe would be premature. Merson even suggested that Chelsea would be eager to hire him "all day long" as they continue their 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 broadcast. He added, "Chelsea would take him all day long. We were talking about him being the next 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, emphasizing that Newcastle should already be planning for the next season and that Howe has the capability to bring the club back into Champions League contention. On his recent podcast recorded at the Emirates, the former Manchester United defender described the current campaign as "really disappointing" and pointed to the summer transfer window as a key factor.
"The transfer business at the end of the window in the summer was a real problem for them. They ended up with Nick Woltemade and Yoane Wissa and that's just not paid off yet," Neville explained. He continued, "I think full faith and trust in Eddie Howe is the way to go.
They've got a really good manager. Where at some clubs it's easier to say 'let's shift the manager and keep the players because they've got five or six-year contracts', it's absolutely the other way around at Newcastle." Neville warned that losing Howe would be a massive blow: "If we lost him, we've lost an eight-and-a-half out of ten manager, someone who's a real solid performer – reliable, consistent, someone who's got a great attitude." Neville also speculated on the club’s upcoming strategic meetings. "I hope they're sitting down with Eddie Howe and they're going through the squad and he's saying 'these are the players I want, these are the players I'm going to buy into for next season, I want to get these four or five in, and I want our business done early while everyone's thinking about the World Cup'." He stressed the importance of backing Howe with appropriate signings: "They're a really good side, I like watching them and they're going to 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've got one of the very best there and I think he'll get them back up challenging for Champions League next season." Howe himself acknowledged the routine nature of end‑of‑season reviews but hinted that this one would be slightly more challenging.
When asked by Sky Sports about his upcoming meeting with the club hierarchy, he said, "These are things we always have every year. This one will be slightly harder for me, I'm sure, but it'll be good to meet with the owners and discuss the future." Player perspectives added further nuance to the discussion. Bruno Guimarães offered a candid assessment of Newcastle’s season after the narrow loss to Arsenal.
Speaking to Sky Sports, he admitted the team finally displayed a spark of passion but fell short overall. "This reminded me a little bit of what we are able to do but, to be fair, it's not good enough, our season, I know it. We have four games to save it and at least try to qualify for European football next season.
I know the fans are very sad – the same as we are – and definitely we have to improve," Guimarães said. He highlighted the inconsistency that has plagued the squad: "[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. I can see the fire is still there but we have to show more because it's not good enough. It's not easy with a team that's fighting for the trophy.
At least today we showed passion but, overall, not good enough." When questioned about potential new signings, Guimarães expressed optimism but also restraint, noting his limited role in transfer decisions. "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," he added.
In summary, both Neville and Merson argue that Newcastle should stand firmly behind Eddie Howe, trusting his vision and providing the necessary resources to rebuild. They warn that losing him could trigger a cascade of interest from top clubs, with Chelsea cited as a prime example. Meanwhile, the manager himself remains pragmatic, preparing for strategic discussions with the board, while players like Guimarães acknowledge the need for greater consistency and squad depth.
The consensus among the pundits and the squad alike is clear: Newcastle must back Howe, reinforce the squad, and aim to return to the upper echelons of English football, with Champions League ambitions still within reach if the right steps are taken.