Sky Sports analysts Gary Neville and Paul Merson have both come out in defence of Eddie Howe, the Newcastle United manager, despite a recent dip in form that has seen the Magpies slip from a potential European spot to the lower half of the Premier League table. Newcastle managed a noticeably sharper display against Arsenal on Saturday’s edition of Saturday Night Football, yet 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 considerable scrutiny, with the club now sitting 14th with 42 points, a mere six points clear of the relegation zone.
Both pundits, however, argue that the manager’s position should not be in jeopardy. Merson went as far as to suggest that Chelsea would be eager to hire Howe immediately if he were to become available, adding that the London club is already scouting him as they continue their search for a permanent head coach. "I’m a huge fan of Eddie Howe and if he walked out, clubs would be lining up around the corner.
Newcastle need to be careful," Merson said during the broadcast. "Chelsea would take him all day long. We’ve even talked about him potentially becoming England’s next manager.
Everyone will be queuing up for 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 echoed the sentiment, urging Newcastle to start planning for the next season and to give Howe the resources needed to bring the team back into Champions League contention.
Speaking on his own podcast from the Emirates over the weekend, the former defender lamented the club’s disappointing campaign. "The transfer activity at the close 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, noting that Newcastle’s situation differs from clubs that can simply replace a manager while retaining a squad bound by long‑term contracts.
"At some clubs it’s easier to say ‘let’s change the manager and keep the players because they have five‑ or six‑year deals’, but it’s the opposite at Newcastle. If we lost him, we’d lose an eight‑and‑a‑half out of ten manager – a solid, reliable performer with a great attitude." Neville speculated that Howe will soon sit down with the club’s hierarchy to outline his plans for the upcoming transfer window. "I hope they’re meeting with Eddie, going through the squad, and he’s saying ‘these are the players I want, these are the targets for next season, I want to bring in four or five quality signings early while everyone is still thinking about the World Cup’." He added, "They’re a good side, I enjoy watching them, and they need to back their manager properly, buy into his vision. That’s what I’d do if I were Newcastle – they have one of the best managers around and I think he can get them back into Champions League contention next season." Howe is scheduled to meet the Newcastle board later this week.
When Sky Sports asked him about the upcoming talks, he replied, "These are things we have every year. This one will be a little tougher for me, I’m sure, but it’ll be good to sit down with the owners and discuss the future." Midfielder Bruno Guimarães offered a candid assessment of the season, admitting that the team finally displayed genuine passion in the narrow loss to title‑chasing Arsenal. Speaking to Sky Sports, he said, "It reminded me a bit of what we’re capable of, but honestly it’s not good enough. I know our season isn’t where we want it to be." Guimarães highlighted the urgency of the situation, noting that Newcastle have only four games left to salvage the campaign and secure a place in European competition for the following season.
"The fans are very sad – just like us – and we have to improve," he said. He praised the squad’s work ethic, "The spark is still there somewhere; you can see it in training. We fought well today, but this season we’ve been bouncing between good and bad performances.
It’s not what we want and it’s not what the fans deserve." The Brazilian midfielder stressed that the fire is still alive but needs to be expressed more consistently. "It’s not easy when you’re fighting for a trophy, but at least today we showed passion. Overall, it’s still not enough." When asked whether he hoped the club would bring in fresh faces after a grueling schedule across multiple competitions, Guimarães replied, "I hope so.
I can’t comment too much as a player, but we need to improve many aspects of the club. We need help." In summary, both Neville and Merson argue that Eddie Howe remains a valuable asset for Newcastle United.
They suggest that stability, faith, and strategic investment in the squad are essential for turning the season around and aiming for European qualification next year. Their comments also hint at external interest, with Chelsea reportedly ready to act should Howe become available, underscoring the high regard in which he is held across the Premier League.