Premier League bosses are in agreement about Newcastle United as Pep Guardiola & Mikel Arteta make claim

Watch more of our videos on ShotsTV.com 
and on Freeview 262 or Freely 565
Visit Shots! now
Eddie Howe’s Newcastle United have earned high praise from several Premier League bosses.

The Magpies are 11 games into the 2024-25 campaign and currently sit eighth in the table, though are just one point behind third place Chelsea in what threatening to be one of most closely fought top-flights seasons for many, many years.

United had hit a bit of a lull after going five matches without a league win, however Howe’s side have turned it around in recent weeks with back-to-back wins against Arsenal and Nottingham Forest, as well as beating Chelsea to advance into the quarter-finals of the Carabao Cup.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Here’s a summary of what every top-flight manager they’ve faced has said about them in the opening months:

Russell Martin - Southampton

Russell Martin, Manager of Southampton, embraces Eddie Howe, Manager of Newcastle United. (Photo by Stu Forster/Getty Images)Russell Martin, Manager of Southampton, embraces Eddie Howe, Manager of Newcastle United. (Photo by Stu Forster/Getty Images)
Russell Martin, Manager of Southampton, embraces Eddie Howe, Manager of Newcastle United. (Photo by Stu Forster/Getty Images) | Getty Images

“Aggressive,” Martin said when asked what qualities Newcastle have. “They run so hard out of position and they had huge numbers physically last season - they were in the top two or three in the league. for sprint distance and high intensity runs.

“They have physical stature and prowess, and they have some really outstanding players. They have a clear way of doing things. They have a lot of tools in their armoury - I think every team will have in the Premier League. It’s a challenge I’m really looking forward to.

“Also, one of their biggest strengths is the crowd, the atmosphere, the ground - they all really buy into it. Football makes that city. Even when you step into the city centre where the stadium is, it’s imposing so you have to deal with all of that.”

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Andoni Iraola - AFC Bournemouth

Bournemouth's Spanish manager Andoni Iraola reacts on the touchline during the English Premier League football match between Bournemouth and Newcastle United at the Vitality Stadium in Bournemouth, southern England on August 25, 2024. (Photo by Adrian DENNIS / AFP)Bournemouth's Spanish manager Andoni Iraola reacts on the touchline during the English Premier League football match between Bournemouth and Newcastle United at the Vitality Stadium in Bournemouth, southern England on August 25, 2024. (Photo by Adrian DENNIS / AFP)
Bournemouth's Spanish manager Andoni Iraola reacts on the touchline during the English Premier League football match between Bournemouth and Newcastle United at the Vitality Stadium in Bournemouth, southern England on August 25, 2024. (Photo by Adrian DENNIS / AFP) | AFP via Getty Images

“We have to prepare very well because the demands of playing against Newcastle United will be very high,” said Iraola ahead of the game. “They have won (against Southampton) playing with 10 players. They are a team that defends very well, attacks very fast and has individual players who can make a difference.

“We will have to be at our very best if we want to have some success against them. We will try to do it because, if we are at our level, I don’t think we are an easy team for them as well.”

Ange Postecoglu - Tottenham Hotspur

LONDON, ENGLAND - MAY 11: Ange Postecoglou, Manager of Tottenham Hotspur, applauds the fans after the Premier League match between Tottenham Hotspur and Burnley FC at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on May 11, 2024 in London, England. (Photo by Bryn Lennon/Getty Images)LONDON, ENGLAND - MAY 11: Ange Postecoglou, Manager of Tottenham Hotspur, applauds the fans after the Premier League match between Tottenham Hotspur and Burnley FC at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on May 11, 2024 in London, England. (Photo by Bryn Lennon/Getty Images)
LONDON, ENGLAND - MAY 11: Ange Postecoglou, Manager of Tottenham Hotspur, applauds the fans after the Premier League match between Tottenham Hotspur and Burnley FC at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on May 11, 2024 in London, England. (Photo by Bryn Lennon/Getty Images)

Speaking after Spurs’ 2-1 defeat at St James’ Park, Postecoglu said: “Very similar I guess to our first away game when we controlled it for the most part, nullified most of the threats that Newcastle have.

“It's obviously a difficult opponent here at home. The crowd create a pretty strong atmosphere for the home side, little things go their way but I thought for the most part we handled that really well.”

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Gary O’Neil - Wolverhampton Wanderers

Gary O'Neil is set to rotate heavily for Wolves' trip to Brighton in the Carabao Cup.Gary O'Neil is set to rotate heavily for Wolves' trip to Brighton in the Carabao Cup.
Gary O'Neil is set to rotate heavily for Wolves' trip to Brighton in the Carabao Cup. | Getty Images

“They have plenty of quality attacking players, midfielders, even defenders,” O’Neil said before the game. “I know they’ve had a couple of injury issues, but signing Lloyd Kelly on a free transfer is a really good move. I thought he was excellent at Bournemouth. They’re going to be a big test.

“Isak is one of the best number nines in the league for me. They are a team that will test us, definitely. We played them twice last season and did well in both fixtures.”

After watching Wolves surrender a 1-0 lead to lose 2-1, O’Neil said: “We've gone up against a side who have spent an awful lot of money and were in the Champions League last season, and we didn't look like a lesser side.

“That takes a lot of doing against Newcastle, because there's not many teams that go out against them and just go toe-to-toe and have a real good game.”

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Marco Silva - Fulham

Getty Images

“Very good side, strong side,” Silva said ahead of the game. “From a technical, physical, collective point of view, they are a really good side.

“They are solid, they are physical, they feel comfortable defending their box. You can feel that they have some leaders there in that back four, and they are a solid side.

“They are strong in both ends, and we have to take our chances. When you have the chances, you have to take them and you have to be ruthless. They know that it is going to be tough as well for them. Our recent record against them wasn't the best in terms of results.”

Pep Guardiola - Manchester City

Manchester City manager Pep GuardiolaManchester City manager Pep Guardiola
Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola | Getty Images

“They press high and they are a team that is so direct. They have a lot of legs with Murphy - Isak usually - Gordon, Barnes.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

“We controlled them very well in most parts of the game, especially when we played so high. Bruno, Joelinton- their physicality, and Tonali, and the central defenders are so high - it is such a difficult team.

“Last season Newcastle struggled for just one reason… a lot of injuries otherwise the team competed really well.

“It’s always difficult to play here because of their physicality. Newcastle are impossible to contain over a whole 90 minutes. At 1-0 we made some bad decisions and did not make it 2-0. We would like to have won but we take the point.”

Sean Dyche - Everton

Sean Dyche. (Photo by Matt McNulty/Getty Images)Sean Dyche. (Photo by Matt McNulty/Getty Images)
Sean Dyche. (Photo by Matt McNulty/Getty Images) | Getty Images

"They are a good outfit. We know that. They have invested well and are well coached by Eddie. He is doing a good job there and is someone I definitely respect in the game.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

“They have good individuals. We know they can operate in different ways. They play, but can also get the ball forward quickly with pace and on the counter. Our record was good against them last season, there is no reason we can't replicate that but we have to play well from start to finish.”

Fabian Hurzeler - Brighton & Hove Albion

Prior to Brighton & Hove Albion’s 1-0 win at St James’ Park, Hurzeler praised Newcastle’s attacking players, Eddie Howe and the supporters.

He said: “If you measure them sprinting, they're all maybe on the same level, it doesn't matter who plays as a striker. I think the last game was [Anthony] Gordon and [Harvey] Barnes played on the left. So no matter who is playing there, they have all the skill and ability to hurt a back line in the Premier League. They have all the individual quality to make the difference in one situation.

“We have to take care all the time, no matter who's playing. Of course, Isak, he's a striker with special skills. I already know him – I knew him in this time when he played for Borussia Dortmund in the Bundesliga. He's a great player, he has a great skillset and will be a big challenge for us to defend him.”

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

"Of course he's a great coach,” Hurzeler said on Howe.. “He's already been a Premier League coach for a long time and been quite successful. That's why I have a big respect for him. I'm really looking forward to competing against him. I know it will be tough there because Newcastle is a team which plays quite intensely.

“The stadium, what I heard is one of the best atmospheres in the Premier League. So we are really looking forward to it and I have a huge respect for Eddie Howe and his team.”

Enzo Maresca - Chelsea

Enzo Maresca, Manager of Chelsea, reacts during the Carabao Cup Fourth Round match between Newcastle United and Chelsea at St James' Park on October 30, 2024 in Newcastle upon Tyne, England. (Photo by George Wood/Getty Images)Enzo Maresca, Manager of Chelsea, reacts during the Carabao Cup Fourth Round match between Newcastle United and Chelsea at St James' Park on October 30, 2024 in Newcastle upon Tyne, England. (Photo by George Wood/Getty Images)
Enzo Maresca, Manager of Chelsea, reacts during the Carabao Cup Fourth Round match between Newcastle United and Chelsea at St James' Park on October 30, 2024 in Newcastle upon Tyne, England. (Photo by George Wood/Getty Images) | Getty Images

Speaking after Chelsea’s 2-1 win versus Newcastle at Stamford Bridge, Maresca said: "There are games, especially today's one, that if you do a basketball game, they would destroy us. Newcastle are strong, they are good, they have some good players in transition. The reason I was saying to calm was because this is the kind of game before you attack you need to make 15, 20 or 25 passes.

"If you want to attack with two passes, you are long distance, they recover the ball and they can cause problems. That is the reason I was shouting all game, 'calm, calm, calm, make passes' is because against them if you do up and down game, they destroy us."

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

After Newcastle gained revenge against the Blues in the Carabao Cup three days later, Marseca said: “I didn’t see a big difference [in how Newcastle played tonight]. I think in the last game they were more or less in the same way as tonight, trying to be aggressive. Today I think we did quite well.

“The first goal is one we can avoid because we know playing through the middle, we know they are quite aggressive so the solution was to go outside but it can happen.

“I didn’t see a big difference between tonight and Sunday. For sure, they needed to win this game to build momentum because of their last results.”

Mikel Arteta - Arsenal

Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta.Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta.
Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta. | Getty Images

Before the game, Arteta said: “The league position after nine games is very tricky when you see the fixtures that they’ve had as well and certain situations that they’ve been through as well, but they’re a fantastic team.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

“They’re really well coached, they’re very intense. It’s a great stadium to play in, you know what you’re going to face there, so we're looking forward to it.”

And after Alexander Isak’s first-half goal condemned the Gunners to another 1-0 defeat on Tyneside, Arteta bluntly said: “You know the game they want to play, it’s clear. You can too often get dragged into that type of game and we weren’t good enough. Credit to them to what they do.”

Nuno Espirito Santo - Nottingham Forest

Nuno Espirito Santo, Manager of Nottingham Forest, arrives at the stadium prior to the Premier League match between Nottingham Forest FC and Newcastle United FC at City Ground on November 10, 2024 in Nottingham, England. (Photo by Alex Livesey/Getty Images)Nuno Espirito Santo, Manager of Nottingham Forest, arrives at the stadium prior to the Premier League match between Nottingham Forest FC and Newcastle United FC at City Ground on November 10, 2024 in Nottingham, England. (Photo by Alex Livesey/Getty Images)
Nuno Espirito Santo, Manager of Nottingham Forest, arrives at the stadium prior to the Premier League match between Nottingham Forest FC and Newcastle United FC at City Ground on November 10, 2024 in Nottingham, England. (Photo by Alex Livesey/Getty Images) | Getty Images

Espirto Santo had no complaints about Newcastle’s 3-1 win at the City Ground and heavily praised Howe’s side.

"I cannot say that was a bad performance, that is totally out of the question,” he admitted. “We played against a very good team that was able to control us and then hurt us in the way we've been doing [on the counter-attack]. It is a lesson for us to learn.

"I just have to recognise that today we played a good team, who were better than us in many, many moments. There's nothing to say about the players, the character and belief was there.”

Comment Guidelines

National World encourages reader discussion on our stories. User feedback, insights and back-and-forth exchanges add a rich layer of context to reporting. Please review our Community Guidelines before commenting.

Follow us
©National World Publishing Ltd. All rights reserved.Cookie SettingsTerms and ConditionsPrivacy notice