Newcastle United head coach Eddie Howe is facing increasing pressure after his side were beaten 2-1 by Bournemouth in the Premier League on Saturday.
The Magpies have lost their last four matches in all competitions, conceding 13 goals in that time, and three successive games in the top-flight.
In fact, Newcastle have lost five of their last seven games in the Premier League, losing three times at St. James’ Park in that run, and have only won three of their last 13 in the division.
The club are 14th in the table and set to miss out on European football completely after they finished fifth and qualified for the Champions League last season.
There have been mitigating circumstances for Howe, such as losing Alexander Isak to Liverpool, but the recent run of results has put pressure on his position.
Premier League manager open to taking Newcastle job
According to GIVEMESPORT, there is uncertainty over Howe’s position as the head coach at Newcastle, although it is not explicitly stated that his job is in immediate danger.
The English tactician has made it clear that he wants to stay and has the fire to continue managing the club, but it will be interesting to see whether or not the board opt to make a change at the end of the season.
GIVEMESPORT’s report claims that they are already looking at Bournemouth manager Andoni Iraola as a possible replacement for Howe this summer.
The Spanish boss confirmed that he will be leaving the Cherries at the end of this season when his contract expires, making him a free agent ahead of the 2026/27 campaign.
Iraola is said to view Newcastle as an attractive job opportunity, should the role become available, and would be more interested in taking the post at St. James’ Park than moving to Crystal Palace, who have also been linked with his services.
How Andoni Iraola passed his Newcastle United audition
Newcastle’s board got an up-close view of the Spaniard’s excellent coaching on Saturday when his team came to St. James’ Park to claim all three points on Saturday.
It was not a smash-and-grab by the Cherries on Tyneside because they played some brilliant football and created a lot of high-quality opportunities with the constantly pass-and-move football that Iraola coaches.
|
Newcastle 1-2 Bournemouth |
||
|---|---|---|
|
Stat |
Newcastle |
Bournemouth |
|
Possession |
54% |
46% |
|
Big chances |
2 |
4 |
|
Shots |
12 |
12 |
|
xG |
1.59 |
2.99 |
|
Tackles made |
15 |
25 |
They created twice as many ‘big chances’ as Newcastle and almost amassed double Howe’s side’s xG, which speaks to the difference in build-up quality between the two coaches.
In the Premier League this season, Bournemouth have created 54.2 xG to Newcastle’s 49.5 xG. This, essentially, means that Iraola has coached a more effective attacking unit than Howe has.
On top of that, the Cherries are six points ahead of the Magpies in the Premier League table and are only behind Chelsea in sixth place on goal difference, which means that they still have a chance to qualify for Europe.
Iraola, dubbed “one of the best managers in the Premier League” by Fabrizio Romano, has been tipped for consideration for jobs at Liverpool and Chelsea by pundit Tim Sherwood, which illustrates how much his coaching has impressed people this season.
The former Athletic Bilbao defender has done a phenomenal job with the Cherries because they were bottom of the xG table in the 2022/23 campaign under Gary O’Neil, with 34 xPTS in 38 games, and he has turned them into a team that is a joy to watch over the past three seasons.
His team’s underlying statistics are strong, as aforementioned, and the style of play focused on combination play and quick attacking movements makes them pleasing on the eye.
That is why Iraola could come in as a huge upgade on Howe for Newcastle because he could improve the team’s results, performances, and style of play, based on what has happened at both clubs this season and in the game on Saturday.
Therefore, the Magpies should strongly consider a move for the Spaniard if they decide to make a change in the dugout at the end of the campaign.
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