Ant and Dec joined Roy Keane – among others – in the most-recent episode of The Overlap – and the topic of conversation inevitably turned to Eddie Howe’s future at Newcastle United
Ant McPartlin shut down Roy Keane’s suggestion on The Overlap.(Image: YouTube / The Overlap)
Ant McPartlin was quick to shut down any ideas Roy Keane had of luring Eddie Howe to Manchester United – as the Newcastle United head coach was suggested as a suitable replacement for Ruben Amorim.
The Portuguese head coach was given his P45 at Old Trafford earlier this month, with Michael Carrick stepping in on an interim basis until the end of the season. However, Keane has made it clear that he doesn’t see a long-term future for Carrick at his former club, regardless of his endeavours this year.
When Micah Richards asked the former Red Devils captain if he would appoint Carrick at United in the wake of Sunday afternoon’s 3-2 win over Arsenal at the Emirates Stadium, the Irishman replied: “The job? No, you’re being silly now. You serious? He’s had two great performances, but anybody can win two games. It’s what he does at the end of the season.
“Even if they do get into fourth, I still wouldn’t be convinced he’s the man for the job. Absolutely not, I still think they need a bigger and better manager, but he’s got the opportunity, what a chance for him and, you know what, he’s taken it, so, fair play to him.”
Ant and his comedy partner, Declan Donnelly, meanwhile joined Keane – as well as Ian Wright, Jamie Carragher, Gary Neville and Jill Scott for the most-recent episode of The Overlap, where Howe’s name was brought into conversation. Addressing the elephant in the room, Ant told Keane: “I heard you talking about Eddie Howe the other day, that you want him at Old Trafford.”
To which, Keane responded: “I think he’s a good option, yeah. He’s done a brilliant job at Newcastle.”
Quick to shut down any speculation of Howe parting ways with his beloved Newcastle any time soon, Ant then joked: “He’s happy where he is. He’s very happy where he is.”
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He continued: “We love him. What you said about him being calm… that really helps you as a fan not being too up and down about performances because you just go; ‘If Eddie is all right about it, then I trust Eddie.’ He’s got a good temperament. The fans aren’t shouting for him to go or whatever.”
Eddie Howe has been linked with the Manchester United, at least by Roy Keane.(Image: PA)
Elsewhere in the conversation, Carragher probed the duo on where they sit with Newcastle’s current ownership, with the Public Investment Fund (PIF) of Saudi Arabia currently holding the majority stake of the club. The Liverpool legend asked: “Where are you with the ownership? There was always this feeling that it was going to kick on when it first come in. Has it almost sort of stalled now? Do you think it can go on to the next level.”
To which, Dec replied: “I think it will and I think it’ll probably take time. There’s obviously the whole PSR thing which is always hanging around Newcastle – that we can’t spend as much as they’d like to. Just hearing that they’re just about to invest in a new training complex, which they need. If you want to be that big club in Europe… the owners have said that they want to be number one.”
Carragher then asked why Newcastle are only just making the decision to invest in such a complex now, however, explaining that the owners should have acted as soon as they arrived given it won’t impact PSR.
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Ant then clarified: “I think they improved the training ground, but I think their idea now is that they’ve got their site secure,” before Wright joked: “Then they can build the training ground, and then get it sponsored by themselves for like billions, and then start buying players…”
Adding a touch more humour, Carragher replied: “Are you talking about Newcastle or Man City,” as the panel then erupted with laughter. While Howe has been linked with a move to Man Utd by the bookmakers ahead of 2026/27, the Magpies’ boss has made it crystal clear he is committed to the task at hand with his current club.
Speaking to ChronicleLive back in October about a move to Old Trafford, Howe said: “I’m all in (at Newcastle). My commitment here is 100 per cent here and always has been.
“My family is still here, and we are fighting every day to make a success of what we are doing. The season ahead could be a wonderful thing, and that is what we are trying to focus on, trying to make a success of the games we have coming up.”
Following Sunday afternoon’s 2-0 loss at St James’ Park, up next for Newcastle is a trip to the Parc des Princes on Wednesday to take on PSG in the Champions League. The Magpies then return to league action on Saturday, in a mouthwatering clash with Liverpool at Anfield.
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