NEWCASTLE: Newcastle United are a long way from being contenders in the Premier League title race this season but head coach Eddie Howe nevertheless hopes his side can still have a big say in the ultimate destination of the top-flight trophy.
Manchester City top the table with 80 points, with Liverpool, who visit St. James’ Park on Saturday, in second spot on 79. The in-form Magpies are sitting in ninth place on 43 points.
However, of the two table-toppers, only Liverpool have managed to accumulate more points than Howe’s side since January, such has been the turnaround in fortunes at the Tyneside club, which is owned by the Saudi Public Investment Fund.
Although Premier League survival is now all-but secured — something that seemed a distant dream as recently as two months ago — the head coach hopes his players will continue to give their all in every one of their four remaining games, the next two of which are against the league’s top two. After hosting Liverpool, they will face Man City away, then forth-place Arsenal at home before ending the season with a visit to relegation battlers Burnley.
“We’ll be committed to try to win every fixture,” said Howe. “It’s our duty and I take that seriously, and I know my players will. Whether we play home or away, we have to give our all. I can assure everyone of that.”
In December, the reverse fixtures against Jurgen Klopp’s Liverpool and Pep Guardiola’s Man City resulted in zero points and a goal difference of minus six. Howe is hopeful of closer contests this time around.
“You look back to the run of games we had in December, we knew then that was going to be a big test for us and how we came through that was going to be important for what happened after,” he said.
“We had Liverpool, Manchester City and Manchester United in a really short period of time; it did test us, it did really stretch us but from those games, we grew.
“The Liverpool game was quite tight. Manchester City, we played well in the first half and they scored two goals, which Man City can do to anybody. We were competitive in the games, we probably just didn’t have enough strength to get results.”
Confidence was low the last time Newcastle, who at the time had recorded only one win all season, took on Liverpool and lost 3-1. Things could not be more different this time around. Howe’s side will take to the field on Saturday off the back of a run of four wins on the bounce, and 10 victories from their last 14 games. However, he refuses to get carried away with this reversal of fortune and nor does he want his squad to.
“I would urge the players not to listen to too many things, whether that is good or bad,” he said. “(Just) focus on the next game and try and win it.
“But there has been a healthy momentum and we can’t shy away from that. That is a good thing for us. The players’ confidence levels have definitely risen and there is a good feeling about the group.
“I think looking at each other, the good feeling around the players is to say that we have quality in this group and we can win football matches at this level, so those are going to be important things next year.”
