Newcastle United are stuck in a rut - this is what must happen next

It is four years ago this week since Newcastle United’s new owners began the search for a successor to Steve Bruce.

Following a 3-2 home defeat against Tottenham Hotspur in a game that was meant to celebrate the departure of former owner Mike Ashley, Bruce’s reign was brought to an end as he departed with his side sat second from bottom in the Premier League table and without a win to their name in their opening nine games in all competitions.

With caretaker manager Graeme Jones in charge, the Magpies battled to a 1-1 draw at Crystal Palace and earned another draw at Brighton and Hove Albion after falling to a home defeat against Chelsea.

The draw at the Amex Stadium produced a first sighting of Eddie Howe as the would-be Newcastle manager sat alongside then co-owner Amanda Staveley before officially being confirmed as Bruce’s successor days later. However, it would be another three games and almost a month before the Magpies claimed their first win of the season as Callum Wilson got the only goal to see off Burnley at St. James’ Park.

What came to fruition over the coming months was the arrival of intensity, energy and determination and some shrewd additions in the transfer market as Howe led the Magpies away from the relegation zone and into the relative safety of mid-table by the time the final whistle was blown on what had been a quite frankly draining season on Tyneside.

Qualifying for the Champions League and reaching a first major cup final since 1999 in his first full season in charge was another sign of the impact Howe and his trusted coaching staff had made on the squad and club they inherited.

Last season, when the Magpies ranks were decimated by injuries, proved to be a curious one as the highest of highs sat alongside some uncomfortable lows in a year where Newcastle seemed to be lacking something special. There were positives, such as the Champions League win against PSG, the FA Cup victory at Sunderland and memorable Premier League wins against the likes of Manchester United, Chelsea and Tottenham Hotspur.

But there were some lows that provoked questions about Howe’s ability to bring the best out of his side as they emerged empty-handed from league games with the likes of Bournemouth, Nottingham Forest, Luton Town and Everton. Despite some negativity, Newcastle still looked to have secured a European spot - only to see Manchester United’s FA Cup Final win against Manchester City see the Red Devils secure a place in Europe at the Magpies expense.

Indeed, the Red Devils had already played a part in destabilising matters at St. James’ Park as their prolonged attempts to secure the services of Magpies sporting director Dan Ashworth were approaching what would be a successful conclusion. That kicked off a summer of uncertainty that muddled the thinking within the Magpies hierarchy as Paul Mitchell’s arrival as Ashworth’s successor and the surprise departure of Amanda Staveley and Mehrdad Ghodoussi, two avid supporters of Howe, seemed to rock the boat. What now feels like a haphazard summer transfer window only added to the belief that the season was going to be unpredictable at best.

A lack of clarity off the pitch seems to have spread between the white lines as Howe’s side have struggled to find consistency, and for large parts of the season, have not shown the intensity and energy that made them feared opponents as they gatecrashed the top four two seasons ago.

There is a feeling the Magpies boss is wrestling with himself to find his best starting eleven - although being robbed of the services of key centre-back Sven Botman and Callum Wilson’s ongoing injury battle has hardly helped his cause. Some have, once again, questioned Howe’s suitability and some have even doubted the intentions of Newcastle’s Saudi-led owners, debating whether the club’s ongoing battles with the Premier League’s profit and sustainability regulations has dampened their enthusiasm.

Newcastle have looked starved of ideas in key areas, particularly in the final third and Howe is yet to unlock the undoubted potential in midfield with the likes of Sandro Tonali, Joelinton, Joe Willock, Sean Longstaff, Lewis Miley and Bruno Guimaraes all battling for a place. In his defence (pun not intended), Howe has been limited with options at centre-back as Botman and club captain Jamaal Lascelles battle back from serious knee injuries.

His cause was hardly helped by the painfully long and predictably unsuccessful attempt to land Marc Guehi during the summer. A similar failing at the other end of the pitch has left Alexander Isak to bare the brunt of the attacking responsibility, with Anthony Gordon pressed into action in the lead role in the attack when the Swede suffered an injury. A failure to land a right-sided winger has also put unnecessary pressure on Howe to continue trying to draw life out of some players that already appear to have reached their maximum under his management.

So what lies ahead for Newcastle and Howe? Quite simply, a United (pun intended this time!) approach is needed. The Magpies boss still has enough credit in the bank to be entrusted to carrying the club forwards - but he seems drained from a difficult summer of change. He should be backed with trust and funds over the coming months and the mis-steps made during the summer transfer window must be corrected over the next two transfer windows.

Difficult decisions must be made over some long-term members of the Magpies squad that have now surpassed their shelf life and fresh energy should be drawn. More than anything, Newcastle must start punching above their weight in the transfer market once again. Only the £60m addition of Sandro Tonali during the summer of 2023 caused some shock amongst their Premier League rivals and, if reports are to be believed, around Europe.

Whether in January or next summer, there needs to be some essential maintenance conducted to boost Howe’s squad at the heart of the defence, in wide areas, and perhaps most importantly, in the lead role in attack. Howe has proven he can lift Newcastle from relegation certainties to European contenders during his three years in charge. However, expecting him to take the biggest leap yet from European contenders to regular challengers for silverware with a squad still containing a number of players that were battling relegation when he took over seems more than a little unfair.