‘Eddie Howe threatens cup final spots as Newcastle hierarchy unhappy with squad’
Newcastle United players have left the club hierarchy unhappy with a feature of their recent run of results in the Premier League, as per a report from the Daily Mail.
The Magpies have seen their hopes of qualifying for the Champions League this season dealt something of a blow in recent weeks.
After being thrashed by Bournemouth and beaten by Fulham over the last month, Newcastle were then badly beaten in a 4-0 thumping by Man City on Saturday (15 February).
That has seen the Magpies slip to seventh in the Premier League table, outside of the European qualification places as things stand.
All of that though appears not to have gone down well with the board at St James’ Park, which could lead to Eddie Howe taking action.
Eddie Howe to send clear warning ahead of Carabao Cup final
What makes that dip in form even more remarkable for the Magpies is how it corresponds with the club’s form in the Carabao Cup.
While they may have slipped up in the league, across the same period Newcastle dominated Arsenal to claim a 4-0 aggregate victory over the two legs of their Carabao Cup semi-final.
That has secured a place in the final at Wembley on the 16 March for Howe’s side, where they will look to end the club’s long wait for silverware when they take on Premier League leaders Liverpool.
However, the Daily Mail has stated that the hierarchy at Newcastle have become especially “frustrated” by some of those recent Premier League defeats when compared with what the squad produced against Arsenal.
As a result, Howe is expected to warn his squad that any player who is performing with one eye on that final at Wembley, will be at risk of losing his place in the side.
Newcastle United right to pressure players over cup final appearances
Football Insider Verdict
A cup final at Wembley is obviously something any player is going to want to be a part of, so it may make sense if some individuals are playing with that in the back of their mind.
However, there is still too much at stake away from the Carabao Cup final for Newcastle to allow for that to continue to be the case.
Qualifying for Europe, and in particular the Champions League, would be a major boost for the Magpies, not least from a financial perspective.
It appears as though Newcastle are planning for a big summer in the transfer window, and the money they would earn if they qualify would go a long way to helping them with that.
Beyond that financial boost, the chance to play in Europe’s top competition would also help in terms of the players they are able to attract.
As a result, their current position in the league means Howe simply cannot allow form to drop on a weekly basis, regardless of how important that cup final will be.