'I have no confidence' - Alan Shearer's first words Newcastle United backlash for Eddie Howe comments
Newcastle United have lost four consecutive games across all competitions and travel to title-chasing Arsenal.
Alan Shearer believes Newcastle United will suffer another Premier League defeat to Arsenal this weekend.
A run of four consecutive losses across all competitions has caused Newcastle’s season to peter out. Hopes of European qualification have all but faded, with the Magpies seemingly in freefall.
Losing to Sunderland last month angered supporters but Newcastle have plummeted further since returning from a three-week break. Defeats to Crystal Palace and Bournemouth have piled further pressure on Eddie Howe as manager.
The players were terrible. As tough as it is for Eddie, I don't know what's going to happen with him. I listened to his interview afterwards, I looked at him and I just thought ‘Is he going to want to go again? Is he going to get a chance to go again?’
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Alan Shearer on Eddie Howe
Shearer caused a stir earlier this week by predicting Howe to leave Newcastle in the coming months. He told The Rest Is Football podcast: “They chucked him under the bus yesterday, the players. The performance was crap from every single one of them.
“I do look at it as a tough situation. It's a tough summer for Newcastle coming up. They've got some big decisions to make. As I sit here, I don't see Eddie in charge of Newcastle next season, unfortunately. I look at his interview after the game and I'm not sure the fight is there. I think it's a very different club now to the one that he would want to go for. He doesn't look in a good position.”
Arsenal vs Newcastle United prediction
He has now backed the Magpies to suffer a fifth straight loss under Howe - piling more pressure on the under-fire manager. Newcastle face a Gunners side desperate to regain control in the title race.
“As much as I hope I'm wrong and I really hope I'm wrong, I see Arsenal bouncing back and winning this,” Shearer said. “I have no confidence in the form Newcastle are in. They need to come out and they need to improve. If they get beat, they have to go down fighting, and I didn't see that last weekend against Bournemouth.
“That was the hard thing to take from the defeat. When the manager is under pressure and the players are having to prove a point, at least you need to show some effort. That was the thing that hurt last weekend. The players have to come out with a response and fight for everything.
“If they get beat, so be it, but they've got to do it with spirit. But I think Arsenal will bounce back with a home win, as much as it pains me to say it, but I hope I'm wrong.”
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