Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola has praised Newcastle United boss Eddie Howe for his side’s approach to the Premier League this season.
That’s what’s been shared by Chronicle Live, with the Catalan having hailed the Magpies as ‘a contender’ for Champions League qualification.
This comes after Saturday’s emphatic 4-0 demolition of Aston Villa, during which the Toon looked at ease as they maintained their fourth-place spot in the Premier League table.
Newcastle have still only lost once this term, with six wins and six draws a gargantuan improvement on last season’s standings at the same time of year.
Having been held to a 3-3 draw earlier on in the campaign, Guardiola has been full of praise for Howe and the Magpies, having claimed the Tyneside club will be up there at the end of the season, fighting for Champions League qualification.
As quoted by Chronicle Live, the Man City boss claimed: “Phewww, they are a contender, a contender to be there.
“The manager is Eddie Howe and you know how good he is. With the new players that come and the way they play, brave.
“There will be a lot of teams fighting for the Champions League, fighting for the title. Look now, Newcastle is another part of this, is already there. I saw them last weekend against Tottenham.
“I see the physicality we faced, we played them [Newcastle United] in the third game of the season. Imagine this team Newcastle with one game a week, with no European competition?”
Guardiola praises Howe and Newcastle
Coming from one of the best managers in world football, this is incredible praise for Newcastle – who were 19th place in the Premier League just ten months ago.
However, this feat remains a long way off, with Manchester United and Chelsea hot on the Magpies’ heels – both teams with a game in-hand.
Howe’s side are in amazing form right now, having shown they are capable of beating any team in England on their day.
If the Tyneside squad can maintain their confidence following the month-long World Cup break, there is no reason to doubt they will be in contention for a top-four finish towards the end of the season.
Critics may argue a number of injuries could take any chance of this success out of Howe’s hands.
However, Newcastle have demonstrated they are able to perform without some of their biggest stars this term. The likes of Bruno Guimaraes, Allan Saint-Maximin and Alexander Isak have been absent at points this season, and the side are still flying at the top end of the Premier League table.
Therefore, with further investment in the squad expected in January, there appears to be no reason why the Toon can’t disrupt the ‘Big Six’ and pip them to Champions League qualification, with the ‘Big Seven’ soon to be on the cards.
Receive a digest of our best Newcastle content each week direct to your mailbox
