Alan Shearer makes 'absolutely superb' Newcastle United claim Liverpool fans will hate

Newcastle United’s mid-season struggles seem a long time ago as Sunday’s home win against Chelsea boosted the Magpies hopes of landing a remarkable second place finish in this season’s Premier League table.

The Carabao Cup final win against Liverpool means the campaign will already go down as one of the greatest in the Magpies recent history - but matching the club’s best finish of the Premier League era, which was achieved in 1996 and 1997, would bring a fitting end to a memorable period for Eddie Howe and his players.

Things could have been very different had United not reacted positively to one of their worst performances of the season as they fell to a 4-2 defeat at Brentford in December that now appears to be a pivotal moment in the season. Just days later, Howe’s men cantered to a 4-0 home win against Leicester City before exacting revenge on Brentford with a 3-1 win against the Bees that took Newcastle into the Carabao Cup semi-final.

An Alexander Isak hat-trick inspired Howe’s side to a 4-0 win at Ipswich City days later and that was followed by another six consecutive victories in all competitions before Bournemouth brought a major upturn in form crashing down with a 4-1 win at St James Park. However, Newcastle quickly regained their momentum and they now head into their final two games of the season knowing six points would see them overhaul Arsenal and secure runners-up spot behind Premier League champions Liverpool.

Speaking after Sunday’s win against Chelsea, former Magpies captain Shearer hailed the performances during the second half of the season as ‘absolutely superb’ and stated securing second place should make Howe a major contender for Premier League manager of the season.

He told The Rest is Football podcast: “There was a period when we (Newcastle) has Leicester, Ipswich and maybe Brentford and we were saying the next three games are huge for Newcastle. They won and they went on, then they won the cup and from then on, I think they’ve been absolutely superb apart from the odd appearance here and there, which you can forgive. If Newcastle finish second, with the season they’ve had, finishing second and winning the Carabao Cup, does that not make Eddie Howe manager of the season?”

Micah Richards suggests two other candidates for Premier League manager of the season

Shearer’s suggestion brought agreement from former Manchester City and Aston Villa defender Micah Richards, who put forward Liverpool’s Premier League title-winning boss Arne Slot and Nottingham Forest’s Nuno Espirito Santo as other potential candidates to win the manager of the year award.

He replied: “I think he’s got a good chance but for Slot to win it (the Premier League) in his first season. We talked about Nuno Espirito Santo, if they (Nottingham Forest) were to get Champions League, we said that a couple of months ago, he’s had a terrific season. I agree, he (Howe) is in there with a shout. To bring silverware after so long, 70 years, and finishing second, it would be a brilliant season.”

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