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Newcastle United’s manager, who had led his team to a cup final the year before, was ultimately ousted after a defeat to Sunderland in the derby. With his team already on a losing streak, his poor choice of players and subsequent loss to their local rivals sealed his fate and he resigned a few days later.
It is unlikely that Eddie Howe has been likened to Ruud Gullit very often. He led Newcastle to Wembley, making him the first manager since Gullit to do so, but there are not many other similarities between them. The situation with Sunderland does not pose as much of a threat for Howe, especially since most Newcastle fans acknowledge his successful two years prior to a recent unfortunate month and he still has support from the club’s leaders, such as co-owner Amanda Staveley and director of football Dan Ashworth.
The Saudi Arabian Public Investment Fund, with an 80% ownership of the club, has a mysterious aura surrounding it. However, its governor Yasir Al-Rumayyan publicly acknowledged that Newcastle had performed well last season. Currently, there is a positive atmosphere surrounding Howe. Despite this, he knows that a club with such high ambitions cannot afford a run of seven defeats in eight matches. The worst-case scenario would be if this streak continues to 10 losses in 11 matches, especially with upcoming games against Manchester City and Aston Villa. Gullit’s departure marked the end for Sunderland, but Howe hopes it will be the start of a revival for Newcastle. He recognizes the importance of this match as a potential turning point. “It has to be,” he stated on Monday.
Unfortunately, it is not a good sign that the two worst outcomes during Howe’s reign have occurred in the third round of the FA Cup. These defeats were against Cambridge United and Sheffield Wednesday, both of which were in League One at the time. Compared to these underdogs, Sunderland, who currently hold a spot in the Championship play-offs, are at a higher level. Additionally, it does not bode well for Newcastle’s shortest trip of the season that they have lost in their last five away games, including a penalty shootout against Chelsea. While they were close to beating Paris Saint-Germain in their home city, they have only been successful twice on their travels this season, both times against teams named United.
The 3-0 victory against Sheffield United may hold less significance compared to the 3-0 Carabao Cup triumph at Old Trafford, where a makeshift team consisting of five full-backs played. This approach may be applicable even without the injured Kieran Trippier and Matt Targett as manager Howe has other fit full-backs at his disposal. His decision-making will be scrutinized as regular players are fatigued and in need of rest, but the consequences of failure could be significant. Will Howe trust the less utilized Lewis Hall, Emil Krafth, Paul Dummett, and Matt Ritchie?
It would be difficult to compare with Gullit’s decision to bench Alan Shearer for the lesser-known Paul Robinson in football, but there have been notable absences for other reasons this season. Newcastle has struggled with injuries, leading some to suggest that using it as an excuse is not valid. However, manager Eddie Howe argued that with limited attacking options, he was justified in making only one substitution in the first 80 minutes against Liverpool, while Jurgen Klopp made game-changing changes.
Newcastle’s playing style requires a lot of energy, and at the beginning of the season, manager Howe planned to make significant substitutions in the midfield and forward line after 60 or 70 minutes. However, he no longer has that option available to him. Some of the late goals that Newcastle has let in, such as three in 12 minutes against Liverpool and three in 17 minutes against Everton, can be attributed to fatigue. This was evident in their injury-time draw with Chelsea and their loss to AC Milan in Europe.
However, the statistics speak for themselves. In a disastrous four-week period, Liverpool conceded 18 goals in just eight games, while also accumulating a Premier League record of 7.27 xG against three of Howe’s preferred defenders and the talented Tino Livramento. Even when factoring in the shootout at Stamford Bridge, Newcastle has suffered 13 losses this season. While some could argue that only four of those defeats were truly bad results, including the disappointing performance at Bournemouth and late collapse at Everton, two of those losses occurred in the past three matches. This is particularly concerning because, until injuries to Trippier and Callum Wilson, Newcastle’s squad seemed to have depth. Additionally, St James’ Park had been a formidable stronghold for lesser teams until Nottingham Forest’s recent victory. Unfortunately, instead of improving, things have only gotten worse for Newcastle.
Throughout the entire season, their performance has been mostly positive rather than negative. They achieved two victories against Manchester United and one each against Manchester City and Arsenal. They also dominated over Chelsea and Aston Villa, with the latter win being even more impressive as the season went on. The unforgettable defeat of Paris Saint-Germain further solidifies their success. This is why Howe still has a good reputation among most people, although he would prefer not to rely on it.
Another aspect must be considered. It cannot be denied that having seven losses in eight games is unacceptable; especially since the team’s owners made investments with the expectation of being in the top nine of the Premier League. However, it is acknowledged that the team exceeded expectations last season and this year may present more challenges. While finishing in the top six may not sound impressive, it would be a reasonable achievement. Some individuals at St James’ Park are aware of this.
The question of Newcastle’s status is a broader one. While they are often considered the wealthiest club in the world, it is more challenging for them to act like it. The owners are willing to invest, but they are also mindful of the restrictions imposed by Financial Fair Play. They are interested in acquiring Kalvin Phillips, and there is a discussion about whether they should sign a goalkeeper to cover Nick Pope’s absence. The impressive performance of Martin Dubravka against Anfield may provide some insight into that decision. However, Newcastle’s abilities to make moves in the transfer market are limited. Unless they can find innovative solutions or persuade players to join, the upcoming January transfer window may be relatively quiet for them. If there are no notable improvements on the field, manager Eddie Howe may face pressure to deliver positive results and secure his position in the dugout.
Source: independent.co.uk