Newcastle United are heading into a difficult stretch of fixtures that could define their season, with pressure quietly growing around the squad and the manager as results continue to fluctuate.
Eddie Howe knows the coming weeks will not only test the team’s resilience, but also expose the players who have failed to live up to expectations. With both domestic and European games piling up, the need for consistency has never been more urgent, and the growing list of underperforming stars is beginning to weigh heavily on the club’s plans.
The schedule is relentless, and Howe faces back-to-back away trips to Marseille in the Champions League and Everton in the Premier League. Neither venue offers much comfort, especially at a time when Newcastle have struggled to find rhythm on the road.
A few weeks of poor results could leave Howe under far more scrutiny, because too many of the players he trusted in previous seasons have dropped their level at precisely the wrong moment. Many of those players, worryingly, are also among the highest earners at the club, which only makes their lack of output harder to justify.
Amid the disappointment, there are still constants Howe can rely on. Club captain Bruno Guimarães remains Newcastle’s top earner and continues to set the standard with his performances.
Even when the team fell short against West Ham and Brentford, he was still one of the few who attempted to drive the side forward. His three goals this season have rescued important points, including a perfectly taken strike in the much-needed win over Nottingham Forest.
Analysts like Michael Carrick have described him as a “talisman,” and his influence still shines through even when the team struggles.
Unfortunately, the same praise cannot be given to some of the other well-paid stars. Joelinton and Anthony Gordon, both earning around £150,000 a week, have delivered almost nothing in front of goal despite being regular features in the lineup.
Between them, they have managed no goals and no assists across sixteen Premier League appearances. For two players relied upon for energy, direct running, and attacking output, the lack of productivity is becoming a real concern.
Nick Woltemade has been a rare bright spot, living up to his record transfer fee of £69 million and a sizeable wage packet. His four league goals have injected some freshness into the squad, showing that investment can still pay off when recruitment aligns with a player’s readiness to step up.
But even his early success cannot disguise the growing worries about others in the team. Anthony Elanga, signed for £55 million and handed £100,000 per week, has yet to find his footing.
Labelled a “massive overpay” by analyst Raj Chohan, the former Manchester United winger is still waiting for his first goal on Tyneside. While fans are willing to give him time, the pressure is rising for him to prove his worth.
Yet it is Joe Willock who finds himself in the harshest spotlight, and sadly, with good reason. The excitement he brought to Newcastle in the early days of his loan spell now feels like a distant memory.
Back in the 2020/21 season, he lit up the league with seven goals in seven consecutive Premier League games, earning praise from then-Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta, who called him “special.” Former striker Kevin Campbell even went further, calling Willock’s run “legendary,” claiming he achieved “god-like” status among the Newcastle supporters for that extraordinary burst of form.
But since that explosion, Willock’s career has declined sharply. After being signed permanently for £25 million, he managed only ten goals in 133 games and has contributed very little in recent seasons.
His incredible start has, in a way, become a curse. Fans still remember the young midfielder who arrived full of energy and confidence, but that version of Willock has not been seen in a long time.
The Athletic’s Chris Waugh recently summed it up by describing him as a “disappointment,” and the numbers back that up. He has only played around 100 minutes of Premier League football this season, yet earns £80,000 per week, a wage that now feels completely disconnected from his impact on the pitch.
The contrast becomes even clearer when you compare Willock’s salary to recent signing Malick Thiaw, who earns £70,000 per week but has been an important part of Howe’s defensive lineup.
Thiaw has delivered consistency and reliability, qualities Newcastle desperately need, while Willock has fallen so far down the pecking order that he barely features at all.
Even though no one enjoys watching a player’s decline unfold in real time, it has become apparent that Newcastle can no longer carry Willock based on past achievements.
If Howe wants to strengthen the squad both financially and on the pitch, he may need to consider selling Willock sooner rather than later. Keeping him on high wages while offering no meaningful contribution is simply not sustainable, especially with the club trying to operate responsibly within PSR rules.
Willock was once one of the brightest sparks in the team, but football moves quickly, and Newcastle’s ambitions demand a level of output he is no longer providing.
For Howe, the time to make tough choices is now. Some players who were once central to the project have fallen away, and if Newcastle want to push forward during this crucial stretch of the season, they may have to let go of those who can no longer keep up. Willock, once viewed as a future star, now looks like the first name who must be moved on for the club to progress.
