‘Careful’ - Dan Ashworth’s Newcastle United warning after Liverpool, Aston Villa & Man City meetings

Newcastle lost three of their opening four Premier League matches this season before going on a seven match unbeaten run in all competitions which included an 8-0 win at Sheffield United, a 4-1 Champions League win against Paris Saint-Germain and a 1-0 Carabao Cup win against Manchester City.

And The Magpies sporting director believes it is important to think on a medium to long-term basis rather than react and make decisions based on relatively short-term runs of form.

Newcastle beat Aston Villa 5-1 on the opening day of the season before losing their next three matches against Manchester City, Liverpool and Brighton & Hove Albion.

“Where clubs have to be careful is reacting to short-term form or short-term luck if you don’t pick up a win for three or four games,” Ashworth told the University Campus of Football Business. “The Premier League, in particular, can do that to you.

“Our first run of four games was incredibly difficult: Aston Villa, Manchester City, Liverpool and Brighton. It’s a really tricky start. All games in the Premier League are tough, but we could easily have had one point out of those first four games.

“We won the first one and then we lost [against Manchester City, Liverpool and Brighton]. You just have to be a little bit careful that you don’t react to short-term results as a sporting director, as a board, as an ownership, as supporters, and just concentrate a little bit more on the medium to long-term.

“There’s always moments for every team where you have rocky periods and you don’t quite hit the levels which your vision or your expectation may have.”

Ashworth was appointed as Newcastle’s sporting director in June 2022 following his departure from a similar role at Brighton. He oversaw the club finishing fourth in the Premier League and qualifying for the Champions League in his first season in charge.

The Magpies currently sit eighth in the Premier League after eight matches and host Crystal Palace at St James’ Park on Saturday looking to stretch their unbeaten run to eight matches in all competitions.