Manchester City’s Nathan Ake believes Eddie Howe has the Pep Guardiola effect as he oversees Newcastle’s rise among the Premier League’s leading clubs.
The Magpies missed out on their first domestic trophy in 68 years when they lost the English League Cup final to Manchester United last Sunday.
But they remain in contention for a top-four league spot as they visit Guardiola’s second-placed side at the Etihad on Saturday.
Since Howe replaced Steve Bruce 16 months ago, Newcastle have gone from battling relegation to the chance of Champions League football for the first time in 20 years.
They are currently fifth, four points behind fourth-placed Tottenham, but with two games in hand.
Ake is not surprised by Howe’s impact on Tyneside, having played under him for four seasons at Bournemouth before he joined City for $48 million in 2020.
“You can see the way they are growing,” Ake told Arab News exclusively.
“They do business very well, with the manager, and everything they do at the moment seems to fit. He always wants the right people — the same as he did at Bournemouth, the ones he wants.”
“He was top for me, we had a very good relationship, and still do when we see each other,” he added. “To see him doing well is so good to see. He was a fantastic manager, not just tactically, but also demanding things of his players.”
Ake says that Howe has transformed and it is clear that “everyone wants to play for him.”
“He’s like Pep, that he gets the best out of players. He’s done that with so many players at Bournemouth, who came with him up from League Two to the Premier League — he made them better and you can see that now. I always thought he would be at a top club,” he said.
“At the moment Newcastle are a tough team. It was very tough up there in the league game earlier this season (when it finished 3-3), but it always is.”
Among the “right people” Howe has signed for Newcastle is Dutch defender Sven Botman.
The 23-year-old missed out on his country’s World Cup squad as Ake made his first appearance in the finals held in Qatar, but Botman has enjoyed an impressive first season in English football following a ?42 million move from French club Lille.
“He’s been playing really well and he’s a good guy,” Ake said.
The City star was linked himself with Newcastle last summer, as well as former club Chelsea, when there were doubts about whether he would get regular first-team football this season.
But his ability to play left-back as well as in the center has seen the defender become a key figure for Guardiola, with talks to extend his contract.
“What a signing,” said the City boss of Ake when he returned to Bournemouth for last weekend’s 4-1 win.
And the player, who made his senior debut for Chelsea in 2012 after joining their youth team from Feyenoord, has relished the chance to develop further under Guardiola and win trophies at City.
Having lifted the Premier League in successive seasons since his arrival, Ake would love an amazing hat-trick as his team try to catch leaders Arsenal, who have a five-point advantage at the top.
“Of course this is why I came, to have this success,” he said. “It’s a great club and to be able to play is great — I feel like I am improving every season and I am happy to be here.”
“That’s what you want to do — win the trophies, that’s where you want to be. To be able to do it again this season is good. We are looking good, but there’s a long way to go.”
Ake says the team’s mindset is to keep going till the very end.
“The squad we have is amazing, the manager we have is unbelievable. You learn every day and tactically it’s so good,” he said. “I feel I am growing all the time here, the understanding of the game, the decision-making and all the little things that are so important for this team. You learn every day and keep on going.”
While Arsenal have not won the Premier League since 2004, City have finished first in four of the past five seasons to show their pedigree and relish for a title battle.
Ake added: “If you play for City you want to win trophies — as a team you want to do that.
“This is a big team so there’s always pressure — you are going to have to win. People expect you to win, but we also put that pressure on ourselves as well.”