Suggestions of late night crisis talks on Saturday were dismissed as conjecture as Newcastle’s planning for Arsenal is already under way
10:00, 20 Apr 2026Updated 10:05, 20 Apr 2026
Newcastle United head coach Eddie Howe(Image: CameraSport via Getty Images)
Newcastle United insiders have vowed that they will not hit the panic button when it comes to a decision on Eddie Howe.
Despite the 2-1 loss to AFC Bournemouth, Howe retains the backing of the club’s board and will prepare to the team for the trip to Arsenal on Saturday night at the Emirates Stadium.
As far as Howe and his assistant Jason Tindall are concerned, they will not walk away from the challenge ahead of them as they look to improve on 14th place in the Premier League and avoid their worst-ever finish.
In the immediate aftermath of the defeat to Bournemouth, there were rumours and social media speculation that Howe had been “held back” for crisis talks with CEO David Hopkinson, sporting director Ross Wilson, and performance director James Bunce.
But Chronicle Live understands that the conversations, which took place at dressing room level not in the boardroom, were a routine debrief between Howe and Wilson.
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This has happened after victories, draws and defeats this season and wasn’t anything out of the ordinary. Howe remains dedicated to his post and was the first backroom member to enter the stadium on Saturday morning and the last to leave on Saturday night, long after the players.
Preparations for Arsenal began immediately after the defeat to Bournemouth. Newcastle have strategically reviewed what is achievable financially in the next couple of years, and the decision on Howe will also not be taken lightly, with an end-of-season review expected with PIF.
Whether PIF opt to intervene with a move from chairman Yasir Al-Rumayyan is unknown but so far the Saudi backers have put full trust in Hopkinson and Wilson to make all executive decisions.
Howe was asked if the rot had set in on his players and whether they were being affected by the negativity around the city after a poor run of results.
He said: “That’s a difficult one for me to answer because I’m not part of that conversation, I’m detached from it. I would very much doubt it, but I couldn’t categorically tell you that that’s not the case.
“What I will say is that what I see from the players is total commitment. I know the media will have different stories coming out at different times – I think that comes with the territory, as I’ve said many times, with us currently.
“It’s not something I want or encourage. I want players totally fixed and here emotionally and physically because I think you can’t do both.
“You’re either in or you’re out, there is no middle ground for me, so if that is the case with one or two players, that would be hugely disappointing, but I can’t give you any firm narrative either way because I’m not involved in those conversations. No-one has said anything contrary to that to me personally.”
Howe’s lowest points tally in charge came in his first season as boss in 2021/22 when he led the Magpies to 49 points. Beating that will be his first personal challenge in the remaining fixtures, but bearing in mind Newcastle can only achieve a maximum of 57, the margin for error is getting smaller.
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