Alexander asked: Do you think Howe should be given more time to get things right?
Ciaran answered: Certainly until at least the end of the season. That would then feel like an opportune time for all parties – Howe included – to sit down and review the campaign and plot the best way forward.
There have been notable achievements this season – qualifying for the last 16 of the Champions League and reaching a third EFL Cup semi-final in four years – but this has been a bruising campaign.
Newcastle are 12th in the Premier League for a reason and, rather than the season being as good as over, it feels like there is a lot riding on the final seven games.
Chief executive David Hopkinson has inferred as much.
“I expect to have a great run to the end of the season here and we’ll talk about the future when it’s time,” he said this week.
Howe, similarly, will just be focusing on the run-in.
The Newcastle head coach will have the rare luxury of extra recovery time and training time as a relentless schedule finally eases following six draining months.
This is where Howe has previously come into his own at Newcastle after leading his side to Champions League qualification in 2023 and 2025, when they felt the benefit of being able to focus solely on domestic matters.
The top five looks out of reach this time around, but Howe has to generate some momentum in the final weeks of the season and qualify for Europe, for me.
Although Newcastle have not exactly got a great recent record against some of their upcoming opponents, and have suffered some damaging results at the hands of sides in the bottom half this season, Howe’s team do not have the worst run-in.
In fact, league leaders Arsenal are the only side currently in the top eight who Newcastle will face between now and the end of the campaign.
Throw in the fact the squad will be lifted by the return of talisman Guimaraes, as well as Lewis Miley and Fabian Schar, and Howe has the tools to finish the season strongly.
Then it feels like the time to take stock before what is sure to be a busy summer.
Come back later on Wednesday for the final part of our Q&A, which will look at how far Newcastle are off competing at the top.