Newcastle United head coach still has some work to do to get everyone back onside, starting against Chelsea
Newcastle United head coach Eddie Howe(Image: Getty Images)
Eddie Howe’s reputation has startlingly plummeted quicker than a boulder chucked in the North Sea. He has gone from legendary status after winning Newcastle United’s first domestic trophy in 70 years to wild and dramatic calls for change in the wake of a dismal derby defeat.
All within the space of a few months. How fickle the world of football can be. Yet it is the way of the land we inhabit, a life dictated by social media and knee-jerk demands.
However did Howe’s team do enough in midweek to stem the growing clamour, controversial as it is, by squeezing through to the semi-finals of the Carabao Cup?
No, I suspect, after it took a 91st-minute goal at home to overcome moderate opposition in Fulham with the sobering thought of Manchester City to come next and no anyway because one victory standing alone is not enough to signal automatic redemption for United after a season of dreadful lows. We have in the past heralded a new dawn far too quickly.
It was a step forward but it will take an unbeaten run including away victories to convince and bond all Geordies into believing that United have rediscovered their mojo.
On Saturday, United must overcome opposition who stand fourth top, Chelsea, despite their defence been ripped to smithereens by injuries and then gain at least four points on their dreaded travels away to a moderate Manchester United and poor Burnley which is a genuine opportunity.
Howe has every right to point to what gained him superman status . . . two Carabao Cup finals at Wembley, one won, and two Champions League campaigns. People wanted to honour him a monument as big as Earl Grey’s after such feats by a man hailed as the best English born coach of his generation but glory is fleeting in these days of managerial snakes and ladders.
Alas gratitude lasts little beyond the next result. Brian Clough, a messiah at Nottingham Forest and Derby, found that at Leeds. Arsene Wenger suffered it in his later years at Arsenal after a trophy-laden career. Claudio Ranieri was sacked within a year after the biggest fairytale of all, Leicester City winning the Premier League title!
Where they once threw rose petals some fans are now delivering accusations. Carefully constructed in the more reasonable arguments, wild from those who gain most pleasure by stirring division. United’s manager is too loyal, plays his favourites, and can be tactically too unadventurous replacing like with like. Those who believe are horrified at how short the memories of the accusers can be.
The city is divided by opinion with loyalists and revolutionaries equally vocal and the media as well as Eddie are caught in the crossfire rain of bullets. Calm reason has largely been lost amid passion.
If Howe needs inspiration, needs the way to reclaim PL glories pointed out to him, then perhaps he ought to ring Unai Emery at Aston Villa.
Oh I know that could be difficult with Howe only getting the Newcastle job after Emery turned it down but the ex-Arsenal boss has spectacularly found a way to turn things round this season.
The start to the 2025-26 campaign was bleak. Fresh off the disappointment of the final day of last season, when they missed out on Europe’s elite competition to us following a controversial 2-0 defeat at Old Trafford, Villa stumbled out of the gates to be firmly snared in the relegation zone.
They failed to score a single goal in their opening four games including a 0-0 home draw with Newcastle prompting some to speculate whether Emery had actually taken Villa as far as he could.
Players had been sold, signings failed to materialise, and superstars like Emiliano Martinez and Ollie Watkins were disillusioned after being on the verge of high profile transfers.
Now however they have risen from their bed of nails to soar to third top in a Champions League position after a string of victories and Emery is being hailed a genius once again. So Geordies must beware of what they wish for. Don’t look back in anger but memory.
Meanwhile Chelsea arrive on Saturday lunchtime with their own managerial confusion.
The saying ‘don’t wash your dirty linen in public’ may not be widely used in Italy but certainly whether he has heard it or not Enzo Maresca doesn’t abide by it. First Mo Salah dropped a political bombshell to be quickly followed by him.
He stirred the public pot when after a Chelsea victory over Everton ended a four-match winless run during which performances had alarmingly dropped Maresca declared without prompting he had endured “the worst 48 hours since I joined the club because many people didn’t support me and the players.”
Salah named names of course but who was Maresca talking about? The fans? No he told us. The media? No it turns out. Those above him within the club? It appears so without any actual clarification forthcoming.
However Chelsea are still fourth top of the PL which would suggest that regardless of veiled accusations all is obviously not wrong and United suffering from an unbelievable build up of defensive problems had better believe it.
Nevertheless the bottom line is that both Howe and Maresca could do with victory at SJP to douse the flames. Who will get it?