Frank Lampard issues revealing Newcastle United update

A year ago, Newcastle United were winless and facing a bleak winter. Today, the club can win games without playing well.
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That’s quite a transformation. Only Premier League champions Manchester City and Liverpool have won at St James’s Park since Eddie Howe took charge almost a year ago.

The stadium is again a fortress, just as it was at times when Frank Lampard was a visiting player.

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Lampard’s now a visiting manager, and his Everton team were beaten 1-0 there last night thanks to a stunning goal from Miguel Almiron.

The visitors didn’t have a single shot on target, and the only moments of quality in a keenly-contested game came from Newcastle, who are sixth in the Premier League ahead of Sunday’s game away to Tottenham Hotspur.

Lampard’s first came as Everton manager came at St James’s Park in February – his team was beaten 3-1 – and the former Chelsea midfielder was asked for his assessment of the transformation at United over the past year after the game.

“I think it’s a very strong squad,” said Lampard. “I know Eddie relatively well, and I think they’re working in a really good direction.

Everton manager Frank Lampard.Everton manager Frank Lampard.
Everton manager Frank Lampard.
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“The club now is in a different phase, or level, to what it’s been in for many years. The recruitment they made last January, they made in the summer, has made them stronger.

“You can see there’s a different belief around the stadium and on the pitch. They’ve got quite a defined physical, athletic style, and give you a lot of problems.

“Fair play, they’re working in a really good direction. You have to respect that. They’re in a different phase, and are going to give everyone a tough game when they come here.”

Newcastle have been given teams tough games home and away this season. Howe’s side have the best defensive record in the Premier League, having conceded just nine goals from 11 games.

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Howe, without Allan Saint-Maximin and Alexander Isak for the foreseeable future, conceded that his team hadn’t been at their best with the ball.

"The performance was very good, in a different way to how we have been at times this season,” said United’s head coach. “It wasn't free-flowing football, it was a very competitive game, a lot of fight in midfield, very physical.

"I’m delighted with character shown and how we defended as a team.

"For the whole team, that (another clean sheet) should give them enormous pleasure, because that was a real team performance. We defended our goal,, and goalkeeper very well. Everton are a strong team. They put a lot of balls into our box, a lot of direct play, and we had to deal with that."

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Newcastle dealt with Everton – and their front three of Dominic Calvert-Lewin, Anthony Gordon and Demarai Gray – well, and they will face a bigger challenge at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

Antonio Conte’s side are third in the table, having taken five more points than United so far this season.

However, as we’ve already seen this season, this Newcastle are capable of stifling any team. The key against Tottenham will be what United do when they get the ball.