Newcastle in Champions League: Magpies not aiming for top four at start of season, says Eddie Howe

1 year ago 34

Newcastle manager Eddie Howe celebrates with guardant Callum Wilson

Champions League shot was not adjacent connected the docket for Eddie Howe's Newcastle United astatine the commencement of the season.

But, aft securing a top-four decorativeness by drawing with Leicester connected Monday night, adjacent play the Magpies volition beryllium successful Europe's premier contention for the archetypal clip since 2003.

When Howe took the helm on 8 November 2021 Newcastle were 19th successful the Premier League table.

"[Our anticipation this term] surely wasn't apical four," Howe told Sky Sports aft his side's gully with Leicester.

"I deliberation you ever hope, you ever judge and you person to dream.

"But we didn't consciousness that we were acceptable for that. After past season's conflict with relegation it was whether we could consolidate and go a amended team.

"To not person that flirtation with relegation and effort to springiness it a go, it's conscionable been incredible."

From relegation-threatened to 'buzzing' for Europe

"If you told america 2 years agone this was going to happen, we wouldn't person believed you," Newcastle midfielder Sean Longstaff told Sky Sports.

On 7 October 2021, Newcastle, struggling successful the Premier League relegation zone, were taken implicit successful a Saudi Arabia-backed £305m deal.

Thirteen days aboriginal manager Steve Bruce was sacked. By December, and with Howe present successful charge, the Magpies had lone 7 points from 14 matches.

Can you sanction Newcastle's past Champions League broadside successful our quiz?

Being capable to walk £85m successful January - connected full-back Kieran Trippier, ex-Burnley striker Chris Wood, midfielder Bruno Guimaraes and centre-half Dan Burn - helped alteration their play arsenic they finished 11th.

This run they person mislaid conscionable 5 league matches, bringing Champions League shot backmost to St James' Park for the archetypal clip successful 20 years.

"We've beaten Juventus present 1-0 [in the Champions League], you spot it connected aged DVDs," added Longstaff. "To beryllium a portion of this, I'm buzzing. It's going to beryllium special."

Howe was speedy to play down immoderate speech astir large summertime spending successful the transportation market.

He said: "There is simply a precise tiny excavation of players to look at. We person to enlistee wisely, arsenic we person done successful each transportation model to date. This volition beryllium our toughest one.

"We'll deliberation astir adjacent play during the summer. We don't privation to spell acold distant from what we've done. We are realistic to cognize determination volition beryllium much games and that's a challenge.

"Whenever you execute thing you're not conscionable blessed to participate. You privation to win and privation success. I privation occurrence massively for this shot club. We'll bask tonight, but we privation to bring silverware present if we tin successful the future."

'This municipality is solely astir football'

Former Liverpool defender Jamie Carragher told Sky Sports: "I americium delighted they person got that position. It is simply a joyousness to ticker Newcastle now. I deliberation Newcastle are 2 to 3 years up of schedule.

"They person spent wealth but that squad connected insubstantial is not a top-four team. A batch of radical felt Eddie Howe would beryllium the feline to get them done a year, but helium has done 1 of the champion jobs successful the Premier League."

Ex-Manchester United defender Gary Neville added: "Howe has played a blinder. The adjacent measurement volition beryllium interesting.

"I thought the owners would beryllium lavish erstwhile they came successful but it has been measured. It has been bold, but measured. You spot galore caller owners travel into clubs, name much fashionable managers, motion much fashionable player, but I similar what they person done.

"There is simply a humility astir what they person done. They request to instrumentality to these principles. There is simply a situation astir however they determination forward. We person seen the likes of Neymar linked successful caller months but that would scare the loving daylights retired of Eddie Howe.

"The situation is it would person been a three-four twelvemonth program for Howe and Newcastle and adjacent twelvemonth if they dip a small and decorativeness sixth, it would inactive beryllium a bully season, but however would everyone measure that? We request to retrieve that they are good up of schedule."

Newcastle look Chelsea connected the past time of the play connected Sunday. A triumph would instrumentality them to 73 points, which would beryllium their highest Premier League full since 1996.

They person scored 67 goals already this season, their astir successful a top-flight run since 2002.

"These radical emotion football, this municipality is solely astir football," midfielder Nolberto Solano, who played successful Newcastle's past Champions League lucifer - a 2-0 nonaccomplishment distant to Barcelona - told Sky Sports.

"It hasn't been the champion times but everyone indispensable beryllium truthful proud."

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