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Newcastle United boss Eddie Howe has called on his players to stay laser-focused as they head into Sunday’s crucial Premier League showdown against Arsenal, with a Champions League spot still up for grabs.
A win at the Emirates would see the Magpies leapfrog the Gunners into second place, putting them on the brink of securing a top-five finish and a place in Europe’s elite competition next season. So far, only champions Liverpool have confirmed qualification, leaving the remaining spots wide open heading into the final stretch.
Newcastle are riding a wave of momentum, having lost just once in their last eight league games since clinching the League Cup in March. However, Howe is urging caution as the race for European qualification tightens, with only four points separating his third-placed side from seventh-placed Nottingham Forest.
“It’s not done, and the picture can change game to game,” Howe warned in his Friday press conference. “That’s what we’ve got to be really focused on—just our next game and trying to win it. We’ve done that this week in training. The preparation has been good, and the focus has been there from the players.”
While Newcastle have already defeated Arsenal three times this season—once in the league and twice in the League Cup semi-finals—Howe remains wary of the north London club.
“These games we’ve played against Arsenal this year have been very difficult,” he said. “We’ve come out on the right side of them, but the games have been tight. We go into Sunday with confidence, but also a realisation that we need to be at our best.”
Arsenal, who for much of the campaign looked nailed-on for a second-place finish, have stumbled in recent weeks, leaving the door open for Newcastle to pounce. With just two games remaining—Arsenal away and Everton at home—Newcastle’s fate is in their own hands.
Howe also warned against the distractions of outside hype and speculation, insisting his squad must remain grounded.
“The outside noise will always be swayed by how you’ve done—and it’s positive,” he said. “But nothing is achieved until it’s achieved. So we have to be really single-minded and not get distracted.”
