‘No doubt about it’ - Alan Shearer admits major worry for Newcastle United
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Newcastle United latest news: Alan Shearer has revealed he is worried about how the Champions League has impacted Eddie Howe’s side.
Newcastle United are in the middle of a gruelling fixture schedule as they look to balance Premier League, Carabao Cup and Champions League action.
A clash against Tottenham Hotspur is next up for Eddie Howe’s side with two league games and a European game also to be played before the next international break. The Magpies have not had a free midweek since the end of August and won’t have another one until mid-December - although victory over Spurs on Wednesday would see a Carabao Cup quarter-final inserted in that week between games against Sunderland and Chelsea.
Unlike two years ago when they were plagued by injuries as they looked to balance European and domestic action, the majority of Eddie Howe’s squad have stayed relatively injury-free this season and, barring any further setbacks or fresh injuries, Howe could have all his squad available to him following the November international break.
One clear change from two years ago to now is the intensity that Newcastle United play with. They are less full throttle in matches and instead pick and choose their moments to press their opponents into making mistakes.
For casual watchers of Newcastle United, it may seem that Howe’s side have lost a key part of their identity this season, but it is a conscious choice that will benefit them across a long season and give them the best possible chance of competing on all-fronts. Defeating Fulham on Saturday, albeit in the last minute of normal time, was a huge result for them as they have to start picking up wins in the Premier League and stringing results together to ensure they aren’t too far away from their rivals come the business end of the season.
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The victory over Fulham followed a very impressive win over Benfica in the Champions League and they will hope it can inspire them to yet another Carabao Cup win on Wednesday night.
Alan Shearer reveals Newcastle United worry
Howe will hope that his side can find that momentum when they host Spurs on Wednesday night and then again when they return to league action against West Ham at the weekend. However, Alan Shearer has admitted that he believes balancing domestic and European competitions has had a negative impact on his former side this season.
“Yeah, I think it is,” Shearer said on the Rest is Football podcast when asked about if the Champions League has impacted Newcastle United’s season.
“I think even if you’ve got the biggest of squads, to play European football with the emotion, how draining it is and everything else. Yeah, it does [have an impact]. There’s no doubt about it.
“The game after a European week, you’ve just got to get the result no matter how you get it. You’ve just got to get it. So Newcastle did that.
“So it was a big three points and hopefully they can get their league season going now.”
A win for the Magpies against Spurs will put them into the Carabao Cup quarter-finals for the fourth-consecutive season and ensure that their defence of the trophy continues for a little while longer.