Source: TheGuardian
Howe avoids damaging Newcastle defeat to secure valuable respite | Jonathan Wilson
Success against Sunderland will not be remembered as a vintage edition but manager could not afford loss to local rivalsRespite at last for Eddie Howe. It wasn’t the best game, it wasn’t the prettiest game, it wasn’t a derby that will take its place in the history of great derbies, beyond the fact it happened after more than seven years and with little immediate prospect of hostilities being resumed any time soon, but it was a win and one that was sorely needed.The word from the club was always that Howe’s job was safe, but no manager could feel entirely secure after a run of eight defeats (one of them on penalties) in nine games that saw his side go out of three competitions, with their hopes of qualifying for next season’s Champions League significantly diminished. And while progress to the fourth round of the FA Cup is not enough to excite many any more, whether fans or directors, a bad defeat to a local rival might have begun to erode Howe’s standing with the fans – who up till now have been generally supportive. Continue reading......read full article
