Key Takeaways
- Eddie Howe says his confidence is intact despite Newcastle’s 2-1 home loss to Bournemouth.
- The Magpies have now lost eight of their last 11 league games and face Arsenal next.
- Bournemouth stretch their unbeaten run to 13 matches and close the gap on Liverpool to four points.
Newcastle United boss Eddie Howe admits his side are in a deep rut after Bournemouth snatched a late 2-1 win at St James’ Park, but he insists he still backs himself to turn the tide.
Goals from Marcus Tavernier and Adrien Truffert sealed a fourth straight defeat for the hosts, who have won only three of their last 14 league fixtures. The result lifts the Cherries to within four points of fourth-placed Liverpool and deepens the gloom around Tyneside.
“Eight losses in 11 is nowhere near good enough,” Howe said. “I feel every negative emotion, yet my belief in what we do cannot shake. We prepare properly, we train with intensity, but matches are decided in critical moments and we are losing them.”
The 48-year-old, whose team dropped to 14th, rejected suggestions that training-ground methods or player attitude are at fault. “We coach movement, not rigidity. I see full commitment every day. Right now, though, we are simply too easy to beat.”
Full-back Tino Livramento added to Howe’s worries when he limped off with a hamstring problem, while the squad’s lack of cutting edge was underlined by a meagre tally of shots on target.
Andoni Iraola, set to leave Bournemouth at the end of the season, praised his players’ composure after they regrouped following Anthony Gordon’s equaliser. “We stayed calm, kept the ball, and believed the winner would come. Europe is a real target for this group,” the Spaniard said.
Newcastle now travel to Arsenal on Saturday, seeking a result that could ease the pressure on their manager and stall a slide that has brought only one victory in 2025.