Sky Sports analysts Gary Neville and Paul Merson have both come out in defence of Eddie Howe, the Newcastle United manager, despite a recent slump that has seen the Magpies tumble from the fringes of European contention to the lower half of the Premier League table. Their comments came after Newcastle’s latest outing, a tightly contested match against Arsenal on Saturday night that ended in a 1-0 loss, marking the club’s fourth consecutive defeat in the league. The string of poor results has placed Howe under intense scrutiny, with Newcastle currently sitting 14th with 42 points – a precarious six points above the relegation zone.
Yet, both pundits were unequivocal: they do not believe Howe should be dismissed. Merson even suggested that Chelsea would be eager to hire him immediately as they continue their search for a permanent manager.
"I’m a huge fan of Eddie Howe and if he were to leave, clubs would be lining up around the corner. Newcastle need to be careful," Merson said during the Saturday Night Football broadcast.
"Chelsea would take him all day long. We’ve even talked about him being a potential England manager. Everyone will be queuing up to get him.
It should be his decision if he wants to move on – after all, 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 guide the team back into Champions League contention. Speaking on his own podcast recorded at the Emirates over the weekend, the former Manchester United defender described the campaign as "really disappointing" and highlighted the club’s transfer missteps during the summer window. He pointed to signings such as Nick Woltemade and Yoane Wissa, noting that they have yet to make a significant impact.
"I think full faith and trust in Eddie Howe is the way to go," Neville asserted. "They have a really good manager. At some clubs you can say ‘let’s sack the manager and keep the players because they have long contracts’, but it’s the opposite at Newcastle.
Losing Howe would be like losing an eight‑and‑a‑half out of ten manager – a solid, reliable, consistent performer with a great attitude." Neville went on to speculate about the upcoming strategic meetings between Howe and the club’s hierarchy. He imagined Howe outlining his vision for the squad, identifying the players he wants to retain, and naming the few new signings he believes will strengthen the team for the next season. "They’ll be thinking, ‘if we lose him we’ve lost an eight‑and‑a‑half out of ten manager,’" Neville said. "I hope they sit down with Eddie, go through the squad, and he tells them which players are essential, which areas need reinforcement, and that they act quickly while everyone is still focused on the World Cup." The former defender concluded with optimism: "They’re a really good side, I enjoy watching them, and they need to back their manager properly, buy into his ideas.
That’s what I would 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 himself confirmed that a meeting with the Newcastle board is scheduled for the coming week. When asked by Sky Sports about the upcoming talks, he said, "These are things we 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." Meanwhile, midfielder Bruno Guimarães offered a candid appraisal of the season. Despite acknowledging that the team finally displayed a spark of "passion" in the narrow defeat to title‑chasing Arsenal, he admitted the overall performance has been below expectations. "This reminded me a little of what we are capable of, but to be fair it’s not good enough," Guimarães told Sky Sports.
"We have four games left to try to salvage the season and at least aim for European qualification next year. I know the fans are very sad – we are too – and we have to improve." He highlighted the inconsistency that has plagued Newcastle, noting that the squad has oscillated between strong and weak displays throughout the campaign.
"The spark is still there somewhere; you can see it in training. 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. The fire is still there, but we need to show more because it’s not good enough.
It’s not easy when you’re fighting for a trophy, but at least today we showed passion, even if overall it wasn’t enough." When questioned about the possibility of new signings to rejuvenate the squad after a grueling schedule across multiple competitions, Guimarães expressed hope for fresh faces but cautioned that he could not comment extensively as a player. "I hope so.
I can’t say too much because I’m just a player, but we need to improve many aspects of the club. We need help." Both pundits and players thus paint a picture of a club at a crossroads: a manager who has delivered historic success but now faces a dip in form, a board that must decide whether to stand by him or explore lucrative offers, and a squad that still possesses talent but requires reinforcement and consistency. The next few weeks, including Howe’s meeting with the hierarchy and the final stretch of fixtures, will be crucial in determining Newcastle United’s direction for the upcoming season.
In summary, Gary Neville and Paul Merson both argue that Eddie Howe deserves the club’s unwavering support, warning that losing him could trigger a cascade of interest from top clubs like Chelsea. They stress the importance of strategic planning, smart recruitment, and faith in Howe’s managerial abilities to restore Newcastle to the upper echelons of English football. Meanwhile, players such as Bruno Guimarães acknowledge the challenges but remain hopeful that with the right adjustments, the Magpies can finish the season strongly and lay a solid foundation for the future.