Newcastle boss Eddie Howe does not care what people outside of the city think of his team as he plots another assault on Carabao Cup glory. The Magpies have climbed to fifth in the Premier League after a run of five successive victories, two of them at Manchester United and Tottenham, to rekindle memories of their surge into the Champions League places two seasons ago.
Gunners boss Mikel Arteta and then Liverpool counterpart Jurgen Klopp were angered by Newcastle’s approach during that campaign, prompting Howe to say: “We are not here to be popular and to get other teams to like us. We are here to compete.”. I don’t really care what happens outside of Newcastle.
Asked in the wake of furious post-match reactions from Aston Villa head coach Unai Emery and Spurs’ Ange Postecoglou following recent defeats if his side were “ruffling feathers” once again, the 47-year-old said: “We are here to try to win and ultimately that’s all we are driven for.
“The popular stuff, I don’t really care what happens outside of Newcastle. The perception other teams have of us, it doesn’t really worry me. “It’s all about us making sure we are happy with who we are and how we are performing.”. Newcastle’s recent resurgence has seen them close to within five points of second-placed Arsenal, who now stand between them and a second trip to Wembley in three seasons.
