Eddie Howe fires Newcastle United warning shot - this is the last thing supporters want to hear
Newcastle United have ‘a lot to do’ in order to avoid becoming the ‘next Tottenham Hotspur’.
Eddie Howe has warned that Newcastle United face a major challenge over the coming months if they are to avoid suffering the same fate as Tottenham Hotspur.
Spurs have served as a cautionary tale this season. Despite winning the Europa League and qualifying for the Champions League last term, they endured a dismal Premier League campaign, finishing 17th.
Although Spurs, like Newcastle, reached the last-16 of the Champions League this season, their Premier League form has continued on the same poor trajectory.
Spurs in relegation trouble
Tottenham now sit 18th in the table, two points from safety with four games remaining. Newcastle currently occupy 14th place, eight points clear of the drop zone.
However, with nine defeats in their last 12 Premier League matches, the Magpies are in their worst run of form under Howe.
Their remaining fixtures include Brighton & Hove Albion, followed by clashes against relegation-threatened Nottingham Forest and West Ham United, before a final-day trip to Fulham.
When asked directly about relegation concerns, Howe dismissed the idea and instead stressed the immediate need to return to winning ways. A single victory could be enough to mathematically secure Premier League safety.
But confidence is low after five straight defeats across all competitions.
Are Newcastle in a relegation battle?
“We haven’t won enough games and we’ve gone too many matches without positive results,” Howe said. “So, we’re focused on next week and trying to win a game to lift the feeling that we currently have.”
While Newcastle are still expected to stay up with 42 points on the board, Howe is acutely aware of how quickly a poor domestic season can spiral and impact the following campaign - something Spurs know all too well.
When pressed on what Newcastle must do to avoid following Tottenham’s path next season, Howe told NewcastleWorld: “Yes, we’ve got a lot to do. I think we’ve got challenges from different sides, on the pitch and off the pitch.
“We’ve got a big summer coming up, so we need to be fully prepared for that.”
Howe will be meeting with club chiefs this week with PIF governor and Newcastle chairman Yasir Al-Rumayyan on Tyneside for an annual summit ahead of the Brighton match.