TAKE IT EASY? NOWAY MY LADS
Howe: We have to do our duty and try to win every game... I want to see how far we’ve come
EDDIE HOWE has vowed to shake up the title race.
The Newcastle boss has warned Liverpool and leaders Manchester City that Toon stars will not take their foot off the gas in the closing weeks of the season despite finally clearing their relegation worries.
The Toon have won nine of their last 13 games, including six in a row at home, and have still to play both City (on May 8) and Liverpool (next Saturday).
Only Liverpool have gained more Premier League points in 2022 than Newcastle’s 29 (from 14 games). Jurgen Klopp’s side have 35 points from 13 games, and Pep Guardiola’s City just 27 from 12 fixtures.
Newcastle will also have a huge influence on the relegation scrap as they face Norwich today and Burnley on the last day of the Premier League season.
Howe said: “We are committed to win every fixture. That is our duty. I take that seriously and I know my players will. Whether we are playing home or away we will give our all, I can assure everyone of that.
“We have standards to maintain. We have a way of playing and have mainly been consistent. We don’t want standards to drop and to lose that feeling.
“We are playing teams who have something to play for and it will be a barometer of how far we have come.
“The run of games we had in December was a big test for us.
“We had Liverpool, Man City and Man United in a really short period and it did stretch us but we grew from those games. The Liverpool game was quite tight. Against Manchester City, we played very well in the first half and they scored two goals which Man City can do to anybody. We were competitive but didn’t have the strength to get a result.”
Newcastle lost 3-1 at Liverpool in December and 4-0 at home to City three days later. Two days after Christmas they drew 1-1 at home to Manchester United
Asked about the form table in 2022 (Bruno Guimaraes and Miguel Almiron celebrating, below) , Howe said: “It is great to hear, but when you are in the middle of a run of games it is a dangerous thing to think about. We have to improve our position rather than look at a form table.”
Howe has defended the club’s
decision to release pictures of the team celebrating in the dressing room after every win. This week Saudi chairman Yasir Al-Rumayyan and director Amanda Staveley were included.
They have become a source of pride for Toon fans, but have been mocked by rivals. Howe says they can be mementoes for the players once they’ve retired.
“We have not decided to publish them in the mainstream media,” Howe said.
“But I used to do it at Bournemouth. It is nice to have that picture to keep, when we are old and grey. It will trigger memories. We are not doing it for anyone but our own players. If people don’t like it…”
SMITH: WE’VE STRUCK PUKKI BY JON WEST
DEAN SMITH says top scorer Teemu Pukki is staying on at Norwich even if they go down.
The Canaries triggered a one-year extension clause in the Finland striker’s contract on Thursday.
That ensured a man with 77 goals in 161 Norwich games would not be leaving for free in the summer.
But manager Smith revealed the 32-year-old was happy to stay even though a Championship return is all but inevitable. He said: “He is an important cog in the machine and he is more than happy to stay here at Carrow Road. “His goalscoring record has been phenomenal. It is important he stays.” Former Celtic striker Pukki (below) has 10 Premier League goals so far, including two in the last two games. Norwich host Newcastle today needing to eat into an eight-point gap between themselves and safety. Smith said: “We played really well against Burnley in our last home game and got our supporters behind us and if we do that again we will give ourselves a chance. “We still believe there is a chance to stay in the league and we have got to give it everything.”