Players are not winding down – Howe

NEWCASTLE United boss Eddie Howe has insisted his squad are not starting to wind down and think about the end of the season.

That was the suggestion of Sky Sports pundit Jamie Carragher who felt that Newcastle look like a team “ready” for their summer break after a tough campaign.

But Howe warned there is a huge game on the horizon on Saturday night in the FA Cup quarter-finals away to Manchester City then 10 crucial Premier League games after the international fixtures.

When asked how he sees the remainder of a campaign that could still end in success or bitter disappointment, Howe said the application of his players can’t be questioned.

Howe told The Chronicle: “In the Premier League we have to keep going, commit to every game and give our best to try to win every single match and that’s what we’ll do.

“Our priority for us now is the FA Cup and that is a big challenge for us. But we have to forget the Premier League now and commit to this game that we have on the horizon, then we have a break.

“Once we come back from the break we have to give absolutely everything.”

Newcastle’s performance against Chelsea was always going to be picked to pieces by Sky Sports after it was handed the Monday Night Football slot.

Both Carragher and Arsenal legend Ian Wright were damning in their criticism for the Magpies.

Wright even said he was “confused” by Howe’s remarks after the game. The ex-england striker said: “I cannot understand why they didn’t play a deep block and frustrate Chelsea more.

“I was confused by some of the things Eddie was saying [in his post-match interview] because I didn’t see where they had any kind of control.”