Howe reacts to FA Cup exit, explains 8 changes, Saint-Maximin absence and Isak withdrawal
After our 2-1 defeat to Sheffield Wednesday, Eddie Howe has admitted he's 'bitterly disappointed' to exit the FA Cup - insisting his team selection was made with our quarter-final 'in mind.'
He's also confirmed that Allan Saint-Maximin could return next week after missing out tonight through illness, revealing the Frenchman wasn't well enough to travel after falling poorly yesterday.
Newcastle made eight changes to the team that drew 0-0 with Arsenal, with Howe claiming that he had done so with our crucial game against Leicester in the Carabao Cup on Tuesday in mind.
Despite the defeat, Howe felt that the performance was 'OK' but that we 'weren't clinical enough' after we missed a number of big chances throughout the game.
Record signing Alexander Isak made his return from injury, starting for the first time since September, but was substituted for Chris Wood at half-time, which was always the plan according to Howe and nothing for fans to worry about.
On the defeat, Howe said: "Bitterly disappointed to go out, I thought the performance was OK. We created enough chances to win the tie, and their goalkeeper made a number of great saves, but we weren’t clinical enough when those presentable opportunities were there."
“We have to accept the defeat and Sheffield Wednesday battled for everything, as we did, but it wasn’t to be. We have a very small squad and have to protect that squad for games ahead.
“We felt we were strong enough to win the game today and I stick by that based on the first-half performance where we had chances to score, we just weren’t clinical in front of goal.”
On his team selection, Howe said: "The Leicester game was on the horizon for us, and we picked a team with that game in mind, and another Premier League game at the weekend."
“If that game wasn’t there the team selection would have possibly been different today. We are trying to juggle everything and make sure we were strong enough to win and I thought we there but obviously that didn’t materialise."
