TalkSPORT pundit Perry Groves has shared his thoughts on when exactly Newcastle United will look to sack Eddie Howe.
Newcastle are going through a tough spell at the minute having lost eight of their last 10 games and pressure is once again mounting on Howe to turn things around.
Speaking on talkSPORT, Groves suggested that Newcastle will look to sack Howe at the end of the season if Newcastle don’t qualify for a European competition next year.
Groves says Howe is now under serious pressure
Newcastle and Howe massively overachieved last season qualifying for the Champions League and, as Groves suggests, have become victims of their own success this season.
With just two wins in their last 10 games, those coming against Sunderland in the FA Cup and 10-man Fulham, Newcastle have slipped down to 10th in the Premier League and could drop even lower after next weekend’s round of fixtures.
Questions have been asked in the media about Howe’s future and whether or not Newcastle’s owners will get a bit nervous about the club’s position in the league and potential to have no European football last year.
Internally, all seems calm at the club as everyone looks to be pulling in the same direction, Newcastle’s owners included, but Groves thinks Howe could be in serious danger come the end of the season.
On the show, Groves said: “From Eddie Howe’s point of view, he’s going to be a victim of his own success. Because he’s had that instant success he’s put himself under pressure.
“I personally think if Newcastle don’t get in a European place I think his job will go at the end of the season.
“I think the owners will feel that they need to do something to get them onto that different level where they think they should be.”
Newcastle need a fresh restart
Having lost to Man City over the weekend, Newcastle now have a two-week break to relax and recharge before taking on the second half of the season.
They face a tough challenge in travelling to Aston Villa, but before that they could give themselves a huge boost by beating Fulham in the FA Cup and keeping their hopes of silverware alive.
Howe and his squad need to take this opportunity to really assess things within the team, look at what can be tweaked to improve and hopefully get their energy back to play like they were last season.
The intense style of play looks to have finally caught up on them, as well as the injuries, so Howe has to be clever in the way he manages Newcastle in the coming months to avoid the outcome that Groves seems to think is inevitable.
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