Newcastle United’s topsy-turvy campaign is raging on. When will Eddie Howe strike the balance needed for his team to kick on and reestablish themselves as a force in the Premier League?
Last weekend’s performance over Manchester City offered a glimpse into what United are capable of, dispatching Pep Guardiola’s side at St. James’ Park thanks to Harvey Barnes’ second-half brace.
But that win was built atop a run of three defeats from four in the Premier League, and Newcastle have since been defeated on the road in the Champions League, against Marseille in France.
It wasn’t the Toon’s worst performance of the season, but the emission of anxiety after Nick Pope’s costly mistake emphasises the issue in mentality when away from Tyneside.
Why Howe should drop Nick Pope
Pope has been a strong and convincing goalkeeper for Newcastle since joining the club from relegated Burnley in 2022, but, aged 33, the Three Lions star is allowing errors to creep into his game, the latest of which cost the Magpies dearly in Marseille.
Newcastle knew they needed to take something home with them from the Orange Velodrome, and indeed, Barnes’ finish secured an advantage at the interval.
Cool heads were needed, but Pope rushed out to claim a neat through ball and failed to match the pace of Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, the veteran striker getting there first and then rounding Pope and scoring from an acute angle to restore parity. The one-time Arsenal hero then scored again from close range, smacking home from a few yards out following a fierce cross-box pass.
That frustrating display was hardly an outlier. This season, Pope has left plenty to be desired.
Given that loanee Aaron Ramsdale is waiting in the wings, it’s understandable that some supporters want to see a change between the sticks, and it’s perhaps something Howe should consider if he wishes to revive his team’s fluency and confidence on the road.
It’s not the only change that must be made, though, with another United man’s form this season emphasising the need for a permanent tweak on Howe’s part.
The Newcastle star who's a bigger liability than Pope
A core part of Newcastle’s success over the past four years, Joelinton’s chapter at the club may nearly be written, with the long-time star beginning to become a problem for Howe.
One of the most powerful and imposing midfielders in the Premier League, Joelinton’s form has suffered this season, and he’s noticeably regressed, and that is accentuated by the superstars around him.
Unlike last season, when Joelinton’s intense, pack-a-punch style was so integral in charging up the Newcastle engine, the likes of Sandro Tonali and Bruno Guimaraes are forming something of a partnership
Newcastle’s Italian midfielder, to be sure, is showing off new levels of athleticism and strength to match his natural elegance, and the skipper is as all-encompassing as ever in the middle of the park.
But Joelinton is waning, and this has been picked up by Toon observers. Indeed, journalist Mark Douglas noted earlier in the campaign that the 29-year-old has been “nowhere near his best”.
Sofascore record that Joelinton is winning only 2.9 ground duels per Premier League fixture, which is his lowest average since 2019/20, his debut term, when he principally played as a centre-forward.
Refashioned into an all-action midfielder, Joelinton has proved himself to be an iconic servant for Howe at Newcastle, but after so many rounds of unforgiving action, it may be that it is the right time for him to move on.
1
Bruno Guimaraes
172
2
Dan Burn
166
3
Fabian Schar
165
4
Jacob Murphy
152
5
Joelinton
146
Hailed as a “club legend” by content creator Adam Pearson, the Brazil international has had his day, and the fact that PIF are gearing up for an ambitious bid for Nottingham Forest’s Elliot Anderson in 2026, the England midfielder having emerged from Newcastle’s academy, suggests that the mainstay is becoming expendable.
The suggestions that Pope should be extricated from his post between the posts are rising in volume, but the emphasis on pushing for a Joelinton upgrade must be just as loud.
For all the Brazilian’s robustness, he is no longer untouchable under Howe’s wing, and is perhaps becoming the weakest link in a team that needs to kick on.
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