The Newcastle United gift that keeps on giving

Newcastle United head coach Eddie Howe could guide the Carabao Cup-winning club to its highest Premier League finish since 1996/97.

Eddie Howe had a message for Newcastle United’s fans after the Chelsea game.

Everyone knew. Ten minutes before kick-off time, St James’ Park was all but full. Seemingly the only empty seats were high up on Level 7 in the Chelsea end.

Newcastle United’s fans had known the importance of yesterday’s game – and they had turned up early for an early kick-off.

And the players, of course, also knew the importance of the fixture.

Everyone knew a win would be another huge step towards Champions League football, and the players, backed by those supporters, were ready to do the hard yards on the pitch on a balmy Sunday afternoon.

St James’ Park before Newcastle United’s 2-0 win over Chelsea.

“I think we needed a good start,” said Eddie Howe after the 2-0 win. “We needed to get the crowd into the game. I really thank the supporters for being there for us. It’s not normal, the start time of the game.

“They needed to be there mentally as well as the players, and they were. Right from the start of the game, you knew we were getting the support we needed.”

Newcastle, with that backing, got the start they wanted. They pressed high and unsettled their opponents, and took an early lead through Sandro Tonali, who has delivered on the vow he made at a wedding venue in Tokyo, Japan, last summer.

Chelsea had Nicolai Jackson sent off for elbowing Sven Botman, named in a three-man defence, before the break, but the visitors were better with 10 men.

A stunning, if deflected, strike from Bruno Guimaraes finally put the game beyond Enzo Maresca’s side after Nick Pope had made two important saves.

The result lifted the club, which memorably won its first trophy in 56 years in March, up to third place, two points behind second-placed Arsenal, with three games left to play.

Mikel Arteta’s side, beaten three times already this season by United, are up next. They will be without Mikel Merino after the former Newcastle midfielder was dismissed in yesterday’s 2-2 draw against champions Liverpool at Anfield.

And United fans headed out of St James’ Park into the sunshine knowing their team could yet finish second for the first time since 1996/97.

Transfer frustration

Yet it had looked very different earlier in the season.

After a frustrating summer which had seen the Premier League’s Profit and Sustainability Rules (PSR) restrict the clubs spending, there were questions about how high the team could go this season.

There were also unsettling off-the-pitch changes. Co-owners Amanda Staveley and Mehrdad Ghodoussi left in what felt the end of an era, while Paul Mitchell joined as sporting director.

In late October, when the club was 12th in the division, and without a win in five games, I addressed criticism of Howe.

“The issue, however, isn’t Howe. The issue is under-investment in those windows in which the club has been constrained by PSR.”

United were again in the bottom half of the table in early December, and hoped-for signings did not arrive in the following month’s transfer window.

Howe was unable to refresh the squad which he feared could go “stale” without reinforcements.

Newcastle also sold Miguel Almiron back to his former club Atlanta United in January, yet the team has steadily gained momentum in the second half of the campaign.

Howe – who used six players on Saturday who were at the club before he arrived – has got the most out of a squad which few would have though would have a chance of finishing as runners-up before a ball was kicked this season.

The cup win alone meant that this season would go down as its most successful in several generations, but Champions League football on top would be an extraordinary achievement.

That should not surprise us, as Howe has already proved to be an extraordinary manager, having taken over a winless team seemingly heading for the Championship in late 2021 and delivered Champions League football in the space of 18 months.

Just how much further could Howe take the team with more investment after three low-spending transfer windows?

Champions League target

As it stands, one win from their final two fixtures will secure a return to the Champions League, and the millions of pounds it brings in, after a season’s absence.

Arne Slot has had a phenomenal first season at title-winning Liverpool, but what Howe has done this season is every bit as special in the eyes of those fans who were in their seats early for the earliest of kick-offs.

This season, for United fans, is the gift that keeps on giving.