Eddie Howe shares positives and negatives from Newcastle's 3-0 win at Leicester

Champions League football is well and truly on the cards for Eddie Howe and Newcastle United, as the Magpies comfortably ran out 3-0 winners away to Leicester on Monday night.

A quick brace from Jacob Murphy, coupled with a tap in from Harvey Barnes was enough to see us move level with Chelsea and, with a game in hand, putting us in a prime position to secure one of the five UCL spots for next season.

Here’s what Howe said to the media after the game reflecting on a comfortable win at the King Power:

Howe happy but wants more

Winning one of our two games in hand was always going to be key in keeping Newcastle firmly in contention for this season’s Champions League spots.

A strong first half performance put the result beyond doubt last night, but Howe still felt his side could have done better, demanding more ahead of a tricky run of games to come.

Speaking on the win, the gaffer commented: “Impressive, but really professional as well in terms of the way that the players took the game. We stuck to our task, we were professional, really good to get a clean sheet, and three goals.”

“I don’t think we were at our very best today. We certainly need an upturn in performance if we’re going to win the next three (against Man Utd, Palace and Villa)."

Fast start, slow finish?

Leicester have been on the winning side of one notoriously one-sided win in Premier League history, their 9-0 triumph over Southampton at St Mary’s, but Murphy’s early brace made it look like Ruud Van Nistelrooy was about to be in for a very long evening.

Howe commended the men’s early commitment to taking a quick and commanding lead: “A really good start to the game. I think that was the crucial thing.”

“The first goal is a great platform for you in any game to come so early, and it was a brilliant goal as well: Joelinton’s pass, Harvey’s playing in of the overlapper, and Tino’s cross, of course Jacob scoring where he needs to be; it was a great goal.”

“Then you have Fabian’s moment of real quality that again only Fabian can do. At 2-0 up I was disappointed we didn’t go on and really dominate the game, but we did enough. We scored the third goal and from then onwards saw the game out.”

Howe on maintaining momentum

Monday night’s win marked the fourth consecutive victory for Newcastle in all competitions, having beaten West Ham, Liverpool and Brentford in our previous three games.

There had been fears that the club may experience a downturn in form following the Carabao Cup win back in March, but Howe quickly cast aside any doubts and expressed his relief that his side were able to continue their positive performances on the pitch.

“There was a worry when we won the cup competition that suddenly we’d drop: just a subconscious feeling that you achieved a massive high and then there’s a fallout from that.”

“So the big challenge we laid to the group was ‘Can we go again?’ ‘Can we put that aside?’ Not forget it, remember it, but forget it in terms of influencing our performances.”

“Take the confidence from the cup final and how we played, they’ve done that really well. Back to the Premier League, we’ve won two really tough games, and we now have three tough ones in a week coming up.”

Howe on Harvey Barnes

It was a welcome return to Leicester for Harvey Barnes, as the former Fox found himself on the scoresheet and continued his consistently solid performances since returning to the starting XI.

Howe issued high praise to the winger, noting the boost in confidence and overall contribution he’s made to the side in recent weeks; at both ends.

“Harvey has done really well. I think, naturally, he’s got better with games, like every player does. He’s got more confident, and it was important he scored tonight because he is a goalscorer and he needs to contribute in that way, being such an attacking player that he is.”

“He also played his part in the first goal, which I loved, with a really good decision. He’s built a good relationship up with Tino alongside him, and I was really pleased with that part of the pitch. I thought he defended well as well, and that can never be underestimated.”