Howe wants more against City slickers

EDDIE Howe wants to see a marked improvement from his side at Manchester City this weekend - despite it losing narrowly to quadruple hunters Liverpool.

The Newcastle boss and his players are back at work after two days off and will work on a different game plan to the one he deployed against Jurgen Klopp’s Reds.

Skipper Jamaal Lascelles revealed this week the Magpies no longer set up to park the bus or eke a point from Premier League games when up against the top five.

Howe, who says every game is “viewed independently,” wants his players to step things up at one of Newcastle’s Premier League bogey grounds on Sunday teatime.

He said: “We were not at our best against Liverpool, we were not at our top levels, but we were still in the game right until the end.

“So there are positives to take from it but we set our standards very high.

“I was slightly disappointed with the general performance. Next week we have to be much better.” Newcastle are still in the top 10 but face a battle to stay there given Leicester have two games in hand over them and trail the Magpies by just a point.

Throw in United’s tough run-in with City and Arsenal up next and it would be a real achievement to hang in there.

When asked what is needed in the final three games Howe added: “Attitude from everybody, from staff to players.

“We have to compete for everything and show we are competitive. We still want points and still want to climb the league.

“That is what I am looking for in the last three games.”