Newcastle United are vying for a top-four berth in the Premier League and is still in the FA Cup and EFL Cup, but manager Eddie Howe is concerned that injuries may derail their progress.
Newcastle United are vying for a top-four berth in the Premier League and is still in the FA Cup and EFL Cup, but manager Eddie Howe is concerned that injuries may derail their progress. Newcastle needs transfer reinforcements, according to Eddie Howe, if they are to compete on three fronts.
While £56 million attacker Alexander Isak tries to make a comeback against Sheffield Wednesday in the FA Cup, Howe thinks his side could use reinforcements due to injuries to Jonjo Shelvey and Matt Targett. Howe is looking to do “injury-related” business, with a midfielder as a priority and Youri Tielemans, whose contract at Leicester is expiring, as a target.
When asked if the squad was strong enough to compete at the top of the league and in two cups, Howe replied, “Without any injuries, definitely. With injuries, most likely not. So we currently have two injuries, Jonjo and Matt Targett, which are major setbacks for us.
“To take two quality players out of a squad that is not hugely deep in terms of numbers, that is why the transfer talk is interesting from our perspective because it will be injury related. With a full group, I think we are strong enough and have quality in every position, but you lose a few players and suddenly that changes.”
Newcastle claims to have Financial Fair Play issues which could hamper their ability to spend despite being owned by Saudi Arabia’s wealth fund. Howe says Elliot Anderson won’t be loaned out in January after recovering from a series of “niggles”.
Isak could figure at Hillsborough and Callum Wilson is battling to get back up to speed after an illness. Allan Saint-Maximin is also desperate for a start.
“I just don’t want to put pressure on him,” Howe said of Sweden’s Isak. We’ll present him when the time comes. He’s getting closer by the day, and he’s been training with the team. I’m satisfied with his development.
“There was a feeling of real frustration when he got injured because he wants to contribute and show his talents. He’s in a much better place now because he’s close and he’s training. Whenever a footballer is back on the grass with his teammates, your view on things is totally different.”
“It’ll be a huge lift. It’s a cliche but he’ll be like a new signing for us. He’s a massive player with huge ability, so we’re very keen to get him back on the pitch.”
Howe and his side have experienced flak for their stifling tactics against Arsenal, amid accusations of gamesmanship and time-wasting.
Howe insists he tries to produce fast-flowing football and had a message for the critics, biting back: “We are not here to be popular and to get other teams to like us. We are here to compete and to compete, we have to give everything to try and get a positive result.”
Howe is taking the cup seriously, adding: “I’ve said one of my big motivations here – and I know it is the same for the players – is to create our own history.
“We’d love in 50 to 100 years people to be talking about this team and things that we’ve done. That is a huge motivator for me and it always has been. You’re only in this moment for a short time at any club; time goes so quickly. You want to maximize that and try and leave a positive mark on the football club in any way we can.”
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