Only one thing is protecting Eddie Howe at Newcastle and Liverpool is even doing that better

Few teams will have more sympathy with Eddie Howe’s current plight than Liverpool. It has been a truly catastrophic season in terms of injuries at Newcastle, on par with some of the biggest crises suffered under Jürgen Klopp’s watch. Along with the credit he already had in the bank, that will certainly have bought Howe some goodwill from the powers that be. There was also an acceptance last season that Newcastle’s expensive project was ahead of schedule in securing Champions League football.

Even allowing for all of that, however, Howe probably isn’t far away from coming under some more intense scrutiny. The bottom half is just as close as the top four, and much of last season’s good work is in danger of being undone, with the European adventure already over. After all, Liverpool’s injury-ravaged campaigns never looked quite so desperate as this. In 2020/21, with Virgil van Dijk, Joël Matip and Joe Gomez all out, Klopp even managed to salvage a finish in the Champions League places; Newcastle would need to average almost 2.6 points per game in the second half of the season just to reach the same points tally.

Last season, of course, Howe’s side was on hand to benefit as Liverpool sunk a little further under the weight of injuries, failing to claim a spot in the top four. But remarkably, even amid those struggles, the Reds only lost once at home. Newcastle has been similarly reliant on its home record this season. Perhaps that shouldn’t be too much of a surprise there are some parallels between the two sides, with notoriously passionate fanbases who can produce incredibly intimidating atmospheres when the spark is lit.

And while Howe could count himself very lucky to be compared to Klopp in most departments, his man management does boast one or two similarities. He knows how to foster a togetherness and draw the crowd into that, bolstering home advantage even further. As a result, Newcastle is second in the home form table, albeit having played a game more than a lot of other sides (Liverpool included). The away table, by comparison, is almost unbelievably bleak: Howe’s side lies in 18th, having picked up just five points from nine games on the road.

The final stretch of the season

Of course, Liverpool is coming off the back of successive home draws, against Manchester United and Arsenal. But these are the only Anfield blips all season, and ending the campaign unbeaten at home is always likely to be enough to at least be in the Champions League conversation. Even in the lowest moments, Liverpool knows it can fall back on its Anfield record to keep the points ticking over. Newcastle is a reminder of just how valuable that is and Howe will hope to ultimately reach the same heights, provided he is given the time to do so.