Here are your Newcastle United headlines for Monday, May 15. 2023.
Howe's positive message
Eddie Howe has insisted that Newcastle United have to be 'very positive' about their Champions League hopes still being in their hands with just three games to go.
Given Newcastle's superior goal difference, the black-and-whites know they only need five points from their final three games of the campaign - regardless of results elsewhere. On that subject, Howe will watch fifth-placed Liverpool's game against Leicester City tonight, but the Newcastle boss stressed it was just for homework purposes ahead of facing the Foxes a week later. Newcastle are very much still focusing on themselves before the visit of Brighton on Thursday night.
"We have to be very positive," Howe told reporters. "We're disappointed not to win. It was a great chance for us with a lead and there not being long left in the match, but we have to accept what happened.
"It's still in our hands. We have three huge games to come. Sometimes you have to take yourself back to the start of the season and what we would have thought. To be in this position now, everyone at the club would have taken that. It's in our hands and we have to be very positive about what's ahead."
READ MORE: Eddie Howe sends message that will give Newcastle hope and why he's really watching Liverpool
Penalty taker call
Newcastle United boss Eddie Howe insists he is happy for either of his free-scoring strikers to take the club's penalties after Callum Wilson twice made no mistake from the spot against Leeds United. The Magpies No 9 was the man to do the honours despite attacking co-star Alexander Isak winning both penalties either side of half-time.
Isak has a 100 per cent penalty record in black-and-white after finding the net against Bournemouth and Nottingham Forest earlier this season. However, the Swede may have to wait for another chance from 12 yards when Wilson is on the pitch.
“The thing is, I’d back both players to take penalties – and score," Howe told BBC Radio Newcastle at full-time. "Callum took the honour today, but both have taken huge penalties for us, and taken them very well. I’m delighted that Callum took them, and the way that he scored the goals was great to see.”
Klopp's Newcastle admission
Jurgen Klopp has claimed that Newcastle United would be 'happy' if Liverpool were not chasing them down - even if the Reds boss conceded it is 'more likely' the Magpies will qualify for the Champions League.
“A few weeks ago, it was completely out of sight," he said. "I couldn’t see it at all, but that did not mean we would not try to get closer. That’s the only thing we did - we got closer. I am pretty sure we were in a situation like that years ago in the second season we qualified for the Champions League. Chelsea were winning all the time behind us so we had to win all the games. It’s not comfortable but, in the end, we made it anyway.
"Newcastle and [Manchester] United would be happy if we would not be there any more and Brighton just starts losing now and Tottenham, and that it was safe and they could concentrate on other stuff. But it is still more likely that they will do it. I respect that. If they finish the season above us, they deserve it. That's how I see it.”
