‘I don’t agree with that’ - Eddie Howe responds to Arsenal chants and Newcastle United’s relegation doubters

Eddie Howe has responded to doubters insisting Newcastle United are destined for relegation from the Premier League.

The 43-year-old, for the first time, watched on the touchline as his side lost 2-0 at Arsenal following strikes from Bukayo Saka and Gabriel Martinelli.

Midway through the second half, the Arsenal fans mocked the Magpies by chanting ‘you’re rich and you’re f****** s***!’

Indeed, part-owners Amanda Staveley, Mehrdad Ghodoussi and Jamie Reuben were all present inside the Emirates Stadium.

Eddie Howe’s response to Arsenal fans and relegation doubters

Q: “Hi Eddie, the Arsenal fans were giving you guys a bit of stick saying essentially the team has nothing going for it apart from a lot of money.

“Is that fair to say? Is it going to be very hard to keep this team?”

Howe said: “I don’t agree with that. We’ve got some very good players here.

“We’re lacking in confidence at the moment - that is naturally through not winning a game this season.

“We will naturally attract criticism - we have to take that and have broad shoulders.

“If we stay committed like we were today… I thought the attitude of the players was very good and trailing the game 2-0, I thought we were very good in the last period of the game.

“We can only do our talking on the pitch and fight back.”

What’s happened since the takeover?

The club’s owners parted company with Steve Bruce just a few days after the 3-2 defeat against Tottenham Hotspur in mid-October - the first game under the new era.

Graeme Jones was immediately placed in interim charge for games against Crystal Palace, Chelsea and Brighton before Howe was appointed three weeks ago.

Despite the change of hands, Newcastle have been unable to end their winless start to the campaign - currently sitting bottom of the table, six points from safety with 13 matches played.