After playing Leicester to a scoreless draw on Monday, Eddie Howe praised the “incredible” players on Newcastle’s team as they qualified for the Champions League for the first time in 20 years. The match was against a team that was in danger of being relegated.
Because fifth-placed Liverpool played Aston Villa to a draw on Saturday, it meant that Newcastle just needed one point from their next two games to guarantee themselves a spot in the Champions League.
At a joyous St. James’ Park, the third-placed team coached by Howe successfully accomplished their goal on the very first try.
After the final whistle, Howe and his players took part in a lengthy lap of honor as they soaked up the applause from the Toon Army.
“This is really a wonderful night, and a huge relief honestly. You should never stop dreaming and you should never stop hoping. However, we didn’t think we were ready to compete for one of the top four spots,” Howe added.
“After the relegation struggle we were in the previous season, the question was whether we could improve and become a stronger squad.
“I have to give props to the whole team since there has been a significant strain placed on them physically. They have experienced the rewards of their own hard work.
The astonishing ascent of Newcastle United from relegation hopefuls to a top four finish in the Premier League in only eighteen months is a testament to the management of Howe and the financial strength of the club’s Saudi-backed ownership group. Howe took over as manager of Newcastle in the summer of 2016.
This season also saw the Magpies compete in their first domestic final since 1999, however they were ultimately defeated by Manchester United in the League Cup final.
The Magpies will hope they can sustain their transition into trophy contenders now that they are back among Europe’s heavyweights after spending the past two decades in Premier League purgatory since Bobby Robson last guided Newcastle into the Champions League.
“The boys have been amazing for me. They are worthy of my highest commendation. Their disposition, their way of thinking,” Howe remarked.
“All I can say is that I’m really thankful to have the chance to manage here. We’ve had a lot of success, and that in and of itself is gratifying.
Only seven years after their stunning victory in the Premier League title game, Leicester are in danger of being demoted from the top division for the twelfth time in their club’s history.
That would put them on par with Birmingham, who currently hold the English record for most wins in a season, and it would take them back to the Championship for the first time since 2014.
The third-from-last place club coached by Dean Smith had only one victory in their previous 15 league matches.
They are now two points below Everton, who are currently in fourth-bottom position, and they will be relegated to the Championship if Everton wins their last game against Bournemouth, regardless of how Leicester does in their final game against West Ham.
“What we have done is taken it to the last game and made it so that Everton have to win in order to keep their hopes alive. That was something that was required of us. “I offer no apologies for the manner in which we competed,” stated Smith.
Smith took everyone by storm when he decided to start James Maddison and Harvey Barnes on the bench in an effort to be “harder to beat.” Meanwhile, Newcastle was forced to play without Joelinton due to an injury he sustained during the pre-match warm-up.
Bruno Guimaraes, a fellow Brazilian and teammate of Joelinton’s, just avoided an early red card for a studs-up challenge that slammed into Boubakary Soumare’s leg. As a result, the team almost had to go without both of them.
Even though Newcastle had control of the ball for 80% of the game, Leicester played a defensive formation that was designed to make things difficult for the Magpies.
When under pressure from Dan Burn, Leicester goalkeeper Daniel Iversen almost dropped a catch, which would have allowed Newcastle to score the game’s first goal.
Callum Wilson pounced on the loose ball and took a shot that hit the post. Wilfred Ndidi was able to clear the ball off the line after Callum Wilson took a header from the rebound.
Moments later, Miguel Almiron’s half-volley off of Fabian Schaer’s knockdown resulted in another shot on goal for Newcastle that was saved by the woodwork.
Just before the break, Iversen made another poor judgment call on a cross, giving Wilson an opportunity that the striker missed by heading the ball wide from close range.
At halftime, Smith substituted Maddison, and Iversen somewhat redeemed himself by making an outstanding stop to deflect Alexander Isak’s powerful shot from the edge of the area.
After Leicester’s Wout Faes accidentally glanced a corner in Guimaraes’s direction, the Leicester player’s header against the post was a golden opportunity squandered by Guimaraes. He was practically on the goal line when he made the attempt.
Nick Pope’s save on Timothy Castagne’s penalty kick deep in stoppage time was Leicester’s best opportunity to win the game, but Newcastle was able to hold on for the win and secure their spot at the top table in Europe.