LONDON: Newcastle United have the quality to claw back their Premier League relegation battle deficit but are suffering from a crisis of confidence, according to head coach Eddie Howe.
United suffered yet another Premier League defeat at the hands of the Gunners at the Emirates, with Bukayo Saka and Gabriel Martinelli’s second-half strikes proving the difference.
The results kept the Magpies at the foot of the top-flight table, without a win in any of their opening 13 games. For perspective, only one team in Premier League history has ever won a relegation battle — Derby County — having made such a poor start.
But Howe has stated he has faith in this group at United, but also underlined the importance of claiming that first three points.
“I do not agree with that,” said Howe, when asked about whether there is a lack of quality in his ranks. “I have seen the dressing room — we have some very good players here.
“We are lacking in confidence, naturally, as we have not won a game this season.
“We will get criticism. We have to take that and have broad shoulders but I think if we stay committed like we did today — it would have been easy to give up with the game at 2-0, and we were good in that last period — the attitude of the players was good.
“We can only do our talking on the pitch and fight back.” Safety, even with just a third of the season completed, looks a long, long way off for United. Waiting on results elsewhere, the gap to fourth bottom is five points.
Howe continued: “It is difficult enough in the Premier League when you are scraping for points, but when you are at a deficit it becomes very difficult.
“I think everyone connected with the club wants to get that first win as soon as possible.
“We have to look at our next games as an important one and try to give everything to win it.
“Luck often favors the brave and that’s maybe what United are lacking at the moment — a flashpoint in the game that highlights that lay between the Gunners’ two strikes.
Callum Wilson, clean through on goal, is shoved from behind by Nuno Tavares. It was close, but they have been given before. Such is United’s way this campaign, it wasn’t.
Just seconds later Martinelli’s sublime finish ended the encounter as a contest. And Howe sees it as a real turning point, even if he thinks his players let their standards drop either side of half-time.
“I thought we could break the game into thirds. I thought the first third of the game was very good. The middle third, not so good and the final third very good,” he said.
“The key moment for me is Callum Wilson going clean through with a chance to equalize, but the penalty is not given.
“I don’t think Callum would go down there if he is not shoved.”
United take on fellow strugglers Norwich City at St. James’ Park on Tuesday evening, and will have to do so without skipper Jamaal Lascelles and Matt Ritchie, after the experienced duo picked up their fifth bookings of the season at the Emirates.
