NEWCASTLE: Eddie Howe is refusing to be drawn into the debate about whether European qualification beckons for his Newcastle United side.
The Magpies are almost certain to finish the calendar year in the Premier League’s top four after their latest win over Champions League outfit Chelsea. Joe Willock scored the only goal on Tyneside on Saturday as Newcastle made it five wins on the bounce in the top flight, ensuring their best start to the season since 1995/96.
However, Howe will not comment on whether he thinks his team will qualify for Europe for the first time in a decade.
“I don’t know about that, I just think for us, we’ve just committed to every game,” said head coach Howe when asked about Europe.
“We haven’t thought about any permutation or any consequence of the games, we’ve just tried to win them and think that’s the best way for us to attack the second half of the season as well.”
Speaking about the performance, Howe continued: “I thought it was a very, very good performance from us tonight, a really high-level game, I thought, between two very good teams.
“Night games here are always very special occasions and tonight didn’t disappoint. I do think it was two very good teams, as I say. It’s tactically very interesting whenever you come up against Graham’s teams, they are so well set-up.
“But I thought we performed, a really good physical effort, incredible intensity in both phases of the game and yes, we’re delighted to win.”
It took the Magpies until March 10, 2021 to reach the 30-point mark — they’ve managed it by November, and in just 15 games.
“It’s nice to hear that. Last season was a very, very difficult season, a very different one to the one we’re experiencing this time around,” said Howe reflecting back on last season’s struggles compared to this.
“We just want to get as many points as quickly as we can. We’re enjoying the moment we’re in, everyone’s together, everyone’s united, really fighting for the same cause, and the players tonight deserve huge credit for what they delivered.
“I thought it was up there with our best displays of the season.
“There was huge commitment there from the players tonight. As I said, the intensity of the game was so high, quick restarts from both teams. They were relentlessly playing out from the back, which meant we were chasing them and trying to disrupt their rhythm and break up their passages of play.
“They’ve got such good technical players that we felt we needed to try to do that. The players delivered that brilliantly and then the other way, we showed we can really play and we can hurt teams with the ball.
“I thought our goal sort of typified that, it was an outstanding goal and a great one to win the game with.”
Ahead of his trip to Qatar with England, Callum Wilson played just 15 minutes at St. James’ Park, given he has been struggling with an illness.
Howe says the player is fit and ready to be on the plane to the Middle East with Gareth Southgate’s men, despite his recent issues.
“Callum’s fine, it was just a case of I didn’t feel he was, with the training he’s had, ready to start the game,” said Howe about his decision to start Chris Wood.
“He’d had an illness that really knocked him, so we didn’t want to take the risk with his immune system being low, and we knew that he’d be OK for a part of the game.
“He’s fully fit now, he’s got no problems.”