Eddie Howe says he won't change the way he plays as Newcastle United enter the Premier League's run-in period.
It was Kevin Keegan who has been asked many times why he didn't go into defensive mode during Newcastle's huge 12-point lead in the 1995/96 season. Howe now finds himself being asked similar questions as he looks to maintain a top four position and qualify for the Champions League next term.
Keegan's stock answer for the question about changing tactics has always been: "What if we'd changed it and still lost the title?" In short, he wanted to win it with the successful formula that got the club to the upper echelons of the Premier League.
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And for Howe, he seems to be reading from the same page as the man dubbed the Messiah by supporters. When asked if he would tweak things against a dangerous Liverpool side and at the 22-game mark of the season with the final straight in sight, Howe was candid with his answer.
Howe told Chronicle Live: "Certainly with the attacking mindset. And belief, in every phase, and that's with and without the ball as well.
"I believe in being brave and proactive, not necessarily reactive. Those are the fundamental principles that have served us well to this point, this season. Those definitely won't change, I can categorically say that.
"As long as I'm the manager - we want to entertain. We definitely don't want to go into games and play for draws, that's not what we are trying to do here."
Liverpool have shown in their last couple of matches they are prepared to invite pressure from opponents but then hit them coldly on the attack. Certainly, Everton found that out on Monday night when they hit the post from a corner before Mo Salah burst through and put Liverpool into the lead.
On Liverpool, Howe added: "Personally I don't think Liverpool sit back. I don't think it's in their DNA either. I think the first goal they scored was a good example. "They still have that athletism to run from box to box.
"That was from a set-play, a corner, and it showed they are very much a good transitional team. I have said that from the very start that they have players that can hurt you."
Howe watched on as Liverpool won the Merseyside derby on Sky Sports this week with James Tarkowski's header crashing off the post before a sweeping counter attack.
Speaking on the Liverpool opener against Everton, Howe said: "I'm not sure about Premier League life - but it's life as a manager. "The margins between success and failure afterwards, they can be on the bounce or spin of the ball, you have no control over that.
"But your whole world is defined by it, for sure that minute of football would have summed up football quite nicely."
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