Alan Shearer delivers verdict on Eddie Howe’s Newcastle future, as club legend reveals what the Magpies boss needs to do to ‘quieten the noise’ after dismal defeat at Brentford

Newcastle legend Alan Shearer has spoken out on Eddie Howe’s future after a difficult start to the season for the Magpies manager.

Howe celebrated three years at St James’ Park last month and has turned the club around from relegation candidates to European contenders during this period.

However, Newcastle have struggled to kick on this term and currently find themselves down in 12th after suffering their fifth defeat of the campaign at Brentford on Saturday.

The 4-2 loss was littered with errors that left Shearer questioning the attitude of the players and branding the team ‘dreadful defensively’.

The pressure is mounting on Howe, but Shearer remains convinced he is the man to turn Newcastle’s fortunes around.

I don’t have any doubts about Howe still being the right man for Newcastle,’ Shearer wrote in his column for The Athletic.

Shearer feels Howe needs support during a difficult period for Newcastle

The Magpies slipped to a dismal defeat at Brentford on Saturday and are in the bottom half

‘He can and should lead the team forward. After what he has done, not just pulling the team away from relegation and then straight into the Champions League, but in the way he has set standards and built an identity, he deserves time and patience. 

‘He needs support, because that identity is blurring. I don’t think there’s the mood — or the money — to make a change.’

Shearer admitted he was disappointed with Newcastle’s summer recruitment after they failed to get a deal over the line for Crystal Palace captain Marc Guehi, while they also sold Elliot Anderson and Yankuba Minteh to Nottingham Forest and Brighton, respectively, to ensure they adhered to PSR rules.

He is concerned that things are stagnating at the club, and has called on the club’s owners – PIF – to come out and make it clear what their vision is to take Newcastle forward.

But, for now, Shearer believes Howe must focus on getting Newcastle through a ‘pivotal spell’ in their season so that they can look ahead to 2025 with optimism.

Newcastle face Leicester and Ipswich in the league before Christmas, either side of a Carabao Cup quarter-final clash with Brentford.

There are grumblings of discontent at St James’ Park, and Shearer feels three straight wins are needed to take the heat off Howe and get Newcastle back on track. 

‘Give it 10 days and three brilliant victories and I’ll be singing a different tune but, as things stand, it feels like inconsistency is baked in,’ Shearer continued.

‘However good they might think they are, players must run to exhaustion every game. Howe must find a way to get past Leicester and Brentford, because that keeps the season alive and quietens the noise.’