Ahead of Sunday’s match against Liverpool, Eddie Howe was keen to underline how the meetings between the two sides have become ‘iconic’ over recent years, with Liverpool overcoming Newcastle on both occasions last year in fiercely contested clashes.
For the Magpies. Sunday’s game represents a chance to pick up their second home win of the season, and see St James Park serve up a ‘red hot’ atmosphere to help them over the line against the stern competition that the Reds will provide.
Newcastle will also aim to return to winning ways, after last week saw them suffer a narrow 1-0 defeat at the Etihad against Manchester City, with Julian Alvarez’s goal the only thing separating the two sides.
When previewing the clash, Howe spoke of team news, any potential outgoings, his relationship with Jurgen Klopp and how impressed he has been by new signing Lewis Hall.
Team News
Regarding team news, it was positive all round for the Magpies with both Joelinton and Joe Willock making good progress on their respective injuries.
Howe said: “Joe[linton] is fine. We didn't see him in the early stages of the week but he trained in the latter part so fingers crossed he's ok.”
Meanwhile on Willock, who is still expected to remain out for Sunday’s game, Howe described how: “He’s making good progress. This is probably the strongest he's looked in terms of his hamstring. He had it re-scanned a couple of days ago and the report back was very good, no problems.”
The Newcastle boss was also asked about any potential outgoings, with Javier Manquillo and Ryan Fraser the most likely to depart the club and add to the list of outgoings, which already includes players such as Jamal Lewis, Matty Longstaff, Chris Wood and Allan Saint-Maxim.
On the potential exit of Javier Manquillo, Howe said: “Possibly. It depends on what he wants. I'm trying to build the squad as deep as I can for the robust season that we have ahead. After the international break we have a really intense period of games. I'd like him to stay but it's in his hands.”
In addition, Scottish international Fraser is widely believed to be closing in on the final stages of a loan deal to Championship side Southampton.
Howe said: “There may be something with Ryan happening regarding Southampton. A part from that, that’s all I know at the moment.”
On the 'iconic battles' between Newcastle and Liverpool
The Magpies boss was keen to describe how ‘iconic’ his side’s clashes are becoming with Liverpool, and how much they mean to him and the fans on Tyneside.
Last year, Newcastle were undone by goals from Darwin Nuñez and Cody Gakpo at St James Park, with Nick Pope also being sent off resulting in him missing the subsequent Carabao Cup Final against Manchester United.
Meanwhile earlier in the season, the Magpies also suffered a defeat, this time courtesy of a 98th minute winner from Fabio Carvalho for Liverpool at Anfield. Newcastle had been in the lead for the majority of the game, with Howe’s side even going 2-0 up before the goal was ruled of for a narrow offside.
Howe said: “These games are iconic - Newcastle vs Liverpool battles. Last year we were disappointed with the two defeats. The last minute of that Anfield game has replayed in my mind many times. The game at home was also painful in a different way. It was a day we didn't start very well but we played well with ten men.”
On Jurgen Klopp
Eddie Howe also spoke of his relationship with Jurgen Klopp, after the Liverpool manager earlier on this season had made a sly dig towards Howe, with a comment on how the FA’s new technical area rules will impact Newcastle the most.
The FA’s new rules set out how only one member of the coaching staff should be present in the technical area at any given moment, with as of last season Howe frequently discussing issues and talking points with his assistant Jason Tindall in the area.
While Howe said, that he does not have ‘a personal relationship’ with Klopp, he did underline how he has a huge amount of respect for the Liverpool boss despite the veiled criticism from the German.
He said: “I have a huge amount of respect for Jurgen and his coaching team. If you love football, I don't think you cannot have that respect, but we're competing against each other so you're fighting for everything. You're fighting for every point.”
He added: “I don’t really have a relationship with any manager, I’m competing against them. I find it very difficult to have personal relationships with competitors. I’ve been the same as a player, I wouldn’t talk before the game to people I knew on the other team, I just draw a line. That’s just how I’ve always been. I respect Jurgen a lot, I think he’s done an unbelievable job, he’s an unbelievable manager, but I draw the line at friendships because they don’t exist for me against competitors.”
In terms of a head to head record between the two opposing managers, Klopp has only lost once in 14 matches against Howe’s teams, with 12 victories and one draw making up the other meetings of which the majority came in his time at Bournemouth.
On new signing Lewis Hall
The latest addition to Newcastle has been the arrival of Lewis Hall, initially on a loan deal with an obligation to buy the former Chelsea player once certain criteria have been met.
The versatile player impressed in the Chelsea first team as a left-wing back with the defender making ten appearances in the senior team last year and over 20 in the Chelsea U-21 set-up.
On the young full-back, Howe said: “He played against us a couple of times last year and he impressed me for someone so young to come into those situations and perform how he did. He'd just broken in before our first game and he caught my eye immediately.”
“He has the attributes to play a few positions. He's only recently converted to left-back. He's also played as a number 8, number 6, left-wing, wing-back and as a centre-back. So he's got real versatility and that was a big attraction for us going into this season when we're going to need players who can play in a few positions.”, he added.
