NEWCASTLE: Christmas is cancelled for Newcastle United this year as head coach Eddie Howe puts his full focus on Premier League survival.
Traditionally in English football, most players get the chance to enjoy an evening out on the town with their teammates during the holiday period.
But Howe does not believe his squad should be celebrating, given the club’s precarious league position.
United head into Sunday’s clash at COVID-impacted Leicester City second from bottom in the Premier League, having won their first game in 15 last weekend with a 1-0 victory over Burnley.
And while Howe sees that win as an obvious step in the right direction, the fancy dress and festivities can wait, with all eyes on a hectic December fixture list in which the Magpies face the Foxes, Liverpool, Manchester City, Manchester United and Everton.
“I don’t think this is the time for the players to be having a Christmas party,” said Howe. “We have had a gathering this week of staff and players, a meal together. But I don’t think that with, one, the fixture congestion, two, COVID, and three, our league position, it is the time for that (players’ party). I will be trying to get the message to them to focus on the work and the games. That takes priority over anything else.”
There’s been a clear crisis of confidence at Newcastle United this season, with the club unable, until six days ago, to pick up three-points in the top flight.
United have been ahead in games, sometimes minutes away from victory only to concede in the dying embers, and have thrown away golden opportunities to win.
But against Sean Dyche’s Clarets they finally managed to break this season’s winless streak, sparking jubilant scenes across the city.
Has that win sparked a new-found belief in the camp? Howe was coy on the subject.
“The players would be the best ones to answer that question,” he said.
“All I would say is that we prepare and get confidence from those preparations, so we have tried to leave no stone unturned in terms of what we ask of the players — no grey areas in terms of what we want them to deliver — and hopefully that builds confidence levels and then you go out and execute your plan. That’s how I see it. And you get good results on the back of that and confidence builds.
“We have one win and we need to back it up,” Howe added. “We need to make sure that it is not an isolated event. It’s very difficult with the fixtures we know have to come, but we are looking at all the markers in our performances and (will) try and improve that every week.”
On the injury front, United are nursing a few knocks ahead of the trip to Leicester’s King Power Stadium.
Howe said: “(We have a) couple of knocks and niggles. Nothing outstanding. I think Fabian Schar had a rib problem earlier in the week; he missed a bit of training, but hopefully he’ll be OK.”
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