EDDIE HOWE OPENS UP, ADMITS SUNDERLAND PAIN BUT DEFENDS NEWCASTLE’S DIRECTION
There are clubs that exist simply to compete, and then there are clubs that live to endure. Newcastle United belongs firmly to the latter. Forged by decades of expectation, heartbreak, loyalty, and belief, the club has always been more than results on a table. It is a shared inheritance, passed down through generations who understand that progress is rarely linear and hope is never surrendered lightly.
At St James’ Park, patience has often been tested, but it has never fully disappeared. The roar that greets every challenge carries memory as much as ambition — memories of nights when belief felt invincible, and ambition when the future looked brighter than the past. It is against this emotional backdrop that Eddie Howe has chosen to speak, not with denial, but with conviction.
Newcastle United head coach Eddie Howe insists his outlook remains optimistic as doubts creep into sections of the fanbase during a difficult festive period. Despite a run of form that has left the Magpies in the bottom half of the Premier League table, Howe maintains that the foundations of progress are visible — even if consistency has proven elusive.
Newcastle have won just six of their last 19 league matches, a statistic that has inevitably sharpened scrutiny. Yet Howe believes the numbers fail to tell the whole story, arguing that his side is closer to solutions than many might think.
“I don’t think we necessarily just have problems — we have strengths as well,” Howe said. “My glass is very much half full presently. I know everybody else might have a different opinion, but I feel we are improving.”
The Newcastle boss acknowledged that January could offer an opportunity to refine his squad, but stressed that internal development remains his primary focus as the team heads toward 2026. His belief, he says, comes from performance indicators rather than raw outcomes.
“We are moving in the right direction, but we have lots of work to do to become the team we ultimately want to be — consistently winning,” Howe admitted. “That is what has eluded us this season. Putting winning runs together is the defining step.”
One performance that reinforced Howe’s confidence was the recent clash with Chelsea, despite not yielding maximum points. For long spells, Newcastle showed a sharper attacking edge and a renewed threat in the final third.
“I was really happy with the performance against Chelsea for the majority of the game,” he said. “It was the best we’ve looked in terms of creating big chances. We looked a real threat.”
However, Newcastle’s away form continues to cast a long shadow. Aside from a commanding 4–1 victory at Everton in November, defeats at Brentford, West Ham, and Brighton have underlined an imbalance between home comfort and travel discomfort. The Magpies have collected 17 points at St James’ Park, compared to just six on the road.
Howe did not shy away from addressing that inconsistency, admitting that Newcastle’s intensity has not always travelled with them.
“That’s the question, isn’t it?” he said. “We’ve been inconsistent. Early in the season we were defensively solid away from home, but our attacking output was well below our standards. That has steadily improved.”
The manager pointed again to Everton as a reference point, where Newcastle displayed cohesion, confidence, and cutting edge. But he also conceded that one recent fixture stood out for the wrong reasons.
“Of course, the Sunderland game was a real dip,” Howe admitted. “For me, that was one game where we didn’t perform at all. That cannot happen again.”
Despite that admission, Howe remains convinced that belief is quietly returning inside the camp.
“I believe the confidence is coming back internally,” he said. “Now we have to show it — home and away.”
Before closing the interview, Howe also took a moment to acknowledge the supporters who have stood by the team through the highs and the challenges of the year, offering a heartfelt message during the festive period.
“I want to wish all our supporters a very Merry Christmas and a happy New Year in advance,” he said. “Your support means everything to us, home and away, and we’ll keep working to give you the performances you deserve.”
Attention now turns to Old Trafford on Boxing Night, where Newcastle face a Manchester United side finding its feet under Ruben Amorim. While Newcastle completed a league double over United last season, Howe is keen to distance the present from the past.
“Our recent record counts for nothing,” he said. “This is a completely new game. They’ve improved, they’ve been strong in their performances, even when results haven’t followed.”
For Newcastle supporters, Howe’s words land somewhere between reassurance and challenge. They ask for patience, but also promise accountability. They acknowledge flaws, but insist on direction. And in a club built on belief as much as silverware, that balance still matters.
Progress, Howe suggests, is not absent — it is simply unfinished.
