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Newcastle CEO David Hopkinson offered only lukewarm support for embattled manager Eddie Howe on Tuesday, following fan jeers after the team's 2-1 defeat to local rivals Sunderland. Howe's squad has plummeted to 12th in the Premier League standings, just days after a crushing 7-2 Champions League elimination by Barcelona.
"I have no position on his future. What I can tell you is that losing the derby hurt me. We take it completely seriously. I recently spent a few hours at lunch with Eddie and we discussed many things, including this," Hopkinson commented to the media.
Howe, who signed a long-term contract with the Magpies in 2022, has seven matches to improve Newcastle's Premier League position if they hope to qualify for European competition next season. They currently sit six points behind sixth-placed Chelsea.
Howe has twice led Newcastle to the Champions League and ended the club's 70-year trophy drought. Last season, Newcastle triumphed in the League Cup.
"Eddie is our manager. I expect a great performance until the end of the season, when we will talk more about the future. At the moment, we are fully focused on the end of the campaign," David Hopkinson added.
Newcastle announced record revenues of £335.3 million for the year ending June 2025.
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