We are getting better, insists Toon boss Howe
Newcastle boss Eddie Howe admits his side have fallen short so far in their bid to build on last season’s fourth-placed Premier League finish.
But after victory over Brentford last week and their battling Champions League point on Tuesday night in Milan, Howe is confident they will soon find top gear.
He said: “It always goes in phases. The level or the potential for the team, the squad, is high but confidence is such an easy word to use, but such a difficult thing to find sometimes.
“Hopefully, the last two results will have given us that missing ingredient back. We needed a win.”
The Magpies lost three of their opening four league fixtures, before Callum Wilson’s penalty sealed their second win of the season last Saturday against Brentford.
That eased the pressure on Howe and his players before Tuesday night’s confidence-boosting 0-0 draw with AC Milan.
Howe, whose side play at Sheffield United today, said: “Going into the Brentford game, we were determined to try and break the run of results we had. We did that.
“We then got a huge point against Milan with a really good defensive display, so hopefully that platform can reignite our A-game. We know we can improve, but it’s only by getting good results, sometimes, that that comes.”
Howe has transformed Newcastle, who lit up the top flight last season as they broke into the top four having steered clear of a relegation dogfight in the previous campaign.
The former Burnley and Bournemouth boss’ success has been aided by Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund takeover and Howe acknowledged his squad is still a work in progress.
“My job is to always protect the players. Externally we need to understand the journey we have been on,” he said.
“To judge them too harshly, at this stage, would be a big negative and it’s my job to bring that perspective.
“The players have been magnificent for me.
“Last year was a season we continued to be very consistent, but this is a totally new challenge this year with largely - and obviously we have made some transfers to add to it - the same group of players.”
Today’s opponents Sheffield United are winless in five league games following their top-flight return, but Howe will not be underestimating his side’s latest challenge after their first Champions League game in 20 years in midweek.
He added: “If we hadn’t had a European game, this game would still be very difficult, regardless of the emotion given to the game in midweek.
“Add that in and it becomes more difficult, so we have to deal with all those things.”