Newcastle United arrived in the UAE in the early hours of Sunday.
Eddie Howe stated after Newcastle United’s 2-0 defeat against Manchester City that his players are desperate for a break.
Well, they’ll get it in the next week or two when they relax at a luxury resort in Dubai, where Howe will spend time with his players both on and off the field. He did not criticise his team when their FA Cup campaign ended in the final eight stage against Pep Guardiola’s all-conquering Manchester City.
Instead, he tried to put a positive spin on the season, with 10 games remaining and Europe still a possibility. Newcastle can yet qualify for the Europa Conference League this season, but only if they show their vicious side again.
When questioned about the next several weeks, with 14 players departing for international duty, Howe told Chronicle Live: “As always, there will be a period of relaxation for the players after what has been a very busy period.” We’re dealing with some injuries and trying to get players ready for our upcoming game.
“Then there will be a period of work in which we will analyze today’s game, pick up the pieces, and work. I’m not sure what that will be yet, but looking ahead to our next opponent, we’ll put in some strong work. We’ll do some fitness work and come back stronger for it.”
Newcastle will be hoping Aston Villa beat West Ham in the capital this afternoon (2pm), or they risk falling six points behind the Hammers in the table. However, Newcastle still has a game in hand, which might be crucial in the run-in.
When questioned about the rest of the season, Howe remarked, “We have a responsibility in the last ten games to make sure we’re the most competitive team we can be.” “I still believe we have a lot to play for.”
Despite dropping to 10th place in the rankings, William Hill offered Newcastle odds of 5/4 to finish eighth. Despite being behind Brighton, the Seagulls have odds of 4/1 and West Ham are 5/1 to finish in the Europa Conference League spot.
