Eddie Howe is once again under the microscope at Newcastle United, and that pressure comes with the job. When results dip and performances fail to turn into wins, the noise always grows louder.
After the defeat away at Manchester United, some supporters have started to question whether Howe should keep his job. Everyone is entitled to their opinion, especially in football, but the real question is whether those calls are actually backed by solid reasons or whether they are driven by frustration in the heat of the moment.
If a manager is to be sacked, there are usually a few clear warning signs. The most important one is when players stop trying. That is often the point of no return. In Newcastle’s case, that simply has not happened.
Whatever frustrations exist right now, there is no evidence that the squad have downed tools or turned against the manager. In fact, the numbers tell a very different story. Across recent Premier League matches, Newcastle players have consistently run more than their opponents.
Against Manchester United, Chelsea, Sunderland, Burnley, Tottenham and Everton, Newcastle covered more ground in every single game. That is not the sign of a group that has stopped believing. That is effort, commitment, and willingness to fight.
The issue has not been effort. It has been quality and confidence in key moments. Against Manchester United, Newcastle worked hard, controlled large parts of the game, but lacked ideas and sharpness in the final third.
They ran, pressed, and battled, but when they got close to the penalty area, inspiration was missing. That is not a fitness problem or a motivation issue. It is a footballing problem that is far harder to fix quickly, especially when confidence is low.
Another common argument is that Newcastle have been on a long run of poor results. But what actually counts as “long” in football? Looking purely at league form before the Manchester United match, Newcastle were fifth in the Premier League form table across the previous six games.
After that defeat, the picture still does not scream crisis. In the last eight matches in all competitions, Newcastle have lost only twice, with three wins and three draws. Stretch that further back to the last 19 games, and the record stands at ten wins, three draws, and six defeats.
Over the whole season so far, Newcastle have won 12, drawn six, and lost nine. That is not brilliant, but it is not disastrous either. It is the definition of an inconsistent season.
This inconsistency needs context. Newcastle have reached the Carabao Cup semi-finals again, for the fourth time in a row under Howe. They are also still fighting for a place in the Champions League knockout stages.
At the same time, they have struggled to put together a strong, steady run in the league. That combination tells you this team is flawed, stretched, and disrupted, but not broken.
The summer that led into this season was chaotic, and that matters. Howe was very clear that early signings were vital. Instead, only one of the eventual signings had a proper pre-season with the squad.
The Alexander Isak situation dragged on, badly handled at board level, and left Howe exposed. There was no CEO, no sporting director, and no clear structure during a critical period. That alone disrupted preparation.
On top of that, Newcastle began the season without a single senior striker available. When replacements finally arrived, the player signed to directly replace Isak suffered a long-term injury before even kicking a ball. That kind of bad luck cannot be ignored.
Injuries and suspensions have continued to pile up. Against Manchester United, Newcastle were missing close to ten players, with others unable to last 90 minutes. Nick Pope was only just back in the squad. Joelinton and Wissa were not fully fit.
This constant disruption has made consistency almost impossible. That does not give any manager a free pass, but it does explain why the team has struggled to find rhythm.
There is also the idea that a new manager would automatically do better. That is far from guaranteed. High-quality managers are rarely available mid-season. Clubs do not let successful managers walk away easily.
Newcastle have already been through this reality before, when Unai Emery turned them down while succeeding with Villarreal. Mid-season changes usually mean choosing from out-of-work managers, many of whom are available for a reason.
Newcastle were incredibly fortunate last time that Eddie Howe was free, refreshed, and eager after choosing to step away from management rather than being sacked.
History also offers a clear warning. Clubs that repeatedly sack managers mid-season often spiral into deeper problems. Manchester United, Tottenham, and Chelsea have all lived through that cycle in recent years. Stability matters, especially when a club is still trying to build something long-term.
There are also financial realities. Newcastle went two years without being able to properly strengthen the squad due to PSR restrictions, and were even forced to sell promising players to balance the books.
When signings finally arrived at the end of the window, it was alongside the loss of their star striker. In those circumstances, it is only fair to give a manager time to see how his squad develops.
This is not a team in free fall. It is a mid-table Premier League side that is still alive in cup competitions and fighting in Europe. That is nowhere near the point where everything is lost. In fact, there is far more to lose by making a rushed decision now.
Eddie Howe has earned trust. Over the past four years, he has delivered results few could have imagined. Strong league finishes, cup finals, Champions League football, and even a trophy.
That does not happen by accident. He has transformed Newcastle United and raised standards across the club.
If the miracles stop, that will become clear over time. But right now, this season still has chapters to be written. Judging Howe purely on a run of frustrating results, without acknowledging the context, risks undoing years of progress.
At the very least, he deserves the rest of this campaign to prove that Newcastle’s story under his leadership is not finished yet.
