Whether intentional or not, Eddie Howe has saved Newcastle’s season with just a few clever decisions that have sent a big message to his players.
Coming out of the international break, Newcastle United were in a miserable run of form and appeared to be running out of ideas.
Hello! It’s time to talk all things Newcastle United vs Tottenham. What are some of your early predictions?
I personally believed Newcastle’s run of fixtures would be overwhelming, with huge games leading up to Christmas. Surely they couldn’t beat Man City? An away trip to Everton would be difficult. Facing the likes of Spurs, Sunderland, and Chelsea would be too much.
Eddie Howe and his players have risen to the challenge, though. With back-to-back league wins for the first time this season (and a first away win in the Premier League to boot), the Magpies are now firmly back on track and feeling positive about the weeks ahead.
Newcastle United have flourished amid squad rotation decisions
Momentum is everything in football. And right now, the momentum is firmly with Newcastle United.
While Howe is wary of Tottenham, it’s clear that his players are performing without fear or trepidation at the moment, and the odds suggest they will get another win under their belt.
So, where did it all start to go right for the Magpies? Personally, I think you can attribute this recent success to Howe’s decision-making when it comes to team selection.
In the past, the Newcastle United manager has been accused of being too loyal to certain players. However, we’ve seen in recent weeks that Howe is not afraid to bench those who are not up to the task, and that’s sent an important message to the squad.
Anthony Gordon’s poor form saw him dropped for the clash with Man City, with Harvey Barnes emerging as the hero of the day there. He was given another chance in midweek against Marseille, but fans made it clear they didn’t want to see Gordon again, and Howe acted decisively.
Gordon barely featured against Everton, and it was Anthony Elanga who stepped up and proved his worth in that win. Now, Gordon knows he has a fight on his hands to get back in the team.
Likewise, Howe handed young Lewis Miley a huge chance to impress against Everton, with Sandro Tonali dropping to the bench. That may have been a case of resting the Italian, but it paid dividends, with Miley showing he can be a key player for Newcastle, too.
You look at the Nick Pope and Aaron Ramsdale debate, too, and even though Howe’s hand was forced by Pope’s injury ahead of Everton, the fact that the starting XI was given a shake up only serves to keep things fresh and competitive for the Newcastle players.
Gone are the days that certain players could just walk into the line-up. Things weren’t working for Newcastle, and Howe made it clear to the squad that he was not about to be passive and let this continue. It’s a bolder, more unpredictable Howe we are seeing now, and it’s worked wonders.
Can Newcastle be in the top five come Christmas?
So, how far can Newcastle go now? With two wins out of two from that tricky six-game run, the Magpies will fancy their chances against a Spurs team that hasn’t won in the league in over a month.
From there, they face relegation-threatened Burnley; another must-win game. After that, it gets slightly trickier, with the much-anticipated Tyne-Wear derby against Sunderland and a home clash with high-flying Chelsea.
Who was at St James’ Park on this day? Amazing atmosphere, terrible result!
Obviously, Eddie Howe will take nothing for granted in any of those games. But, he and his players will be well aware that if they can pick up, let’s say eight points from those four matches, they’ll be well-placed heading into the post-Christmas rush.
Alan Shearer thinks Newcastle can finish in the top five. Even Opta’s supercomputer believes Newcastle’s odds of Champions League qualification are heading in the right direction, with a 16% chance now mooted.
However, the proof is in the pudding. Get results in these next four games, and Howe will be heralded a genius for his tweaks to the Newcastle team, and that top five berth will look a lot more realistic.