Newcastle United sent warning over Eddie Howe future debate - 'the devil you know'
Eddie Howe is under pressure at Newcastle United following a disappointing Premier League season.
Newcastle United have been warned that ‘it’s better the devil you know’ when it comes to considering Eddie Howe’s future.
Fan pressure is mounting on Howe after Sunday’s 2-1 defeat at Crystal Palace, another game in which was lost despite taking the lead, saw the Magpies slip to 14th in the Premier League table.
Howe has twice achieved Champions League qualification and, above all else, ended the club’s 56-year trophy drought by lifting the Carabao Cup last year, but several poor performances and results have brought big cause for concern.
United finished fifth last season but are 10 points below the final Champions League qualification spot, while five points is the gap to Brentford in seventh, which is currently a Conference League place.
Howe’s side have dropped a staggering 25 points from winning positions this season. Even just holding onto a few of those leads would have put them firmly in the European mix.
Newcastle United sent warning over Eddie Howe future debate
Former Chelsea and Everton forward Pat Nevin believes that highlights how fine the margins are, sending a warning to those who are perhaps leaning towards a change of manager.
Nevin was sitting alongside former West Bromwich Albion goalkeeper Ben Foster and the pair agreed that Howe doesn’t have the depth of squad to compete on all fronts and that without the extra game are a ‘top five team’,
Nevin told BBC Match of the Day: “It tells you how close and tight it is, and I actually think it just underlines the problem that he has had for a long time, maybe the most of time he’s been at Newcastle, the squad isn’t deep enough, especially with playing European football, getting to cup finals. This season, they got to a semi-final as well and played two legs of that.
“If they didn’t have those cup games, or particularly Europe for a year, I think they are a top five team. They have good enough players and I think he’s a very, very good manager,
“There are a lot of managers that have a difficult period like this and you just kick them out and go for the next guy. The devil you know is sometimes a better one and I would absolutely be sticking by Eddie Howe, however I know a number of Newcastle fans are beginning to waver at the moment.
“I do, and I think a lot of real lovers of Newcastle feel that way as well because they like him as a person and remember, he got that cup.”
Foster added: “I agree with Pat, it’s better the devil you know sometimes. It’s been their problem for a couple of years now, that strength in depth and when you are in Europe, it really does spread it think.
“If they were to get rid of Eddie Howe, I think there would be so many teams sniffing around him to try and snap him up.”