Eddie Howe’s sack becomes imminent following ruthless one-word answer when asked about substitutions at 4-0 lose to Man City
There was an intensity in the air as Eddie Howe opted against using injuries or knocks as a reason for taking so many big names off
Newcastle United boss Eddie Howe did not look to protect any of his big-names when asked why they were taken off at the Etihad Stadium.
The Toon head coach hooked Kieran Trippier, Joe Willock, Anthony Gordon, Alexander Isak and Bruno Guimaraes during the 4-0 rout against the Premier League champions. But even though Gordon has been suffering with a knock and the likes of Trippier and and Willock have had stop-start campaigns, when asked if the stars were taken off for injuries or knocks, Howe responded with a simple but emphatic: “No.”
In a no holds-barred post-game press conference, Howe also warned his squad they were in “big trouble” if minds were on the Carabao Cup final. When asked if the Wembley visit was now becoming the focus, Howe said: “If that is the case, then we are in trouble.
“Our Premier League season will be over really by the time that game comes around. It can’t be the focus. It is on the horizon it should be a positive not a negative distraction. I would encourage the players to look at it that way, we have to go back to work, the work is the Premier League the day in and day out stuff.
“We have to perform better. That is three of our last four performances in the Premier League that haven’t been good enough. They have all had similar traits in them (Forest, Bournemouth and Man City), so back to basics for us..”
The defeat was Newcastle’s eighth of the season and Howe does not want the narrative to be about Wembley. He said: “I can’t stop other people talking about it.
“We try to address it internally. I don’t know, people will naturally assume that the cup final is a negative distraction and it was not a great performance from us today. I need time before sticking my colours to the mast on what went on today.”
And reflecting on a day in which his side were blown away by Omar Marmoush’s hat-trick, Howe said: “It was a tough game, they are still the toughest team to play against. We were not at our best today.
“Goals change games, and the goal we concede early was a tough one for us. All the goals we conceded today we will look back on with frustration. It becomes difficult when you chase the game today, really tough.
“They ask so many questions of you, put you under pressure. They did not have a bundle of chances but they did what they needed to do. It’s about growing for the next games and learning from today. When you come back into these arenas, fare better, that’s the challenge.”
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