Eddie Howe happy with Newcastle United's defensive resilience in Premier League opener

By SABC Sport
18th August 2024

Newcastle manager Eddie Howe admitted he would have liked to have beaten Southampton by more than a goal to nil but had nothing but praise for his backline that kept the Saints at bay the entire match.

The Magpies finished seventh last season having made the top four 12 months earlier and conceded 62 goals in the process, 29 more than they had done during the 2022-23 campaign.

On Saturday, they scrapped their way to a 1-0 opening day victory over promoted Southampton courtesy of a clean sheet which was secured despite Fabian Schar's 28th-minute dismissal, and head coach Howe wants to see more of the same.

He said: "It was huge. I think it's the biggest area of growth. If you've been watching us over the last season, you wouldn't need to be too clever to see that. With the amount of goals we scored, if we could tighten up defensively, we'd be a very good team.

"It was one game with a good response defensively, not just through the back four and the goalkeeper, but the whole team."

If Howe was delighted with the outcome at St James' Park and the manner in which it was achieved in adversity, he headed home knowing there is significant room for improvement.

In truth, the Saints were the better side even before the sending-off and the home side enjoyed a meagre 22 per cent share of the possession overall.

However, Southampton were unable to make their numerical advantage, delivered by Schar's moment of madness when he thrust his head towards Ben Brereton Diaz, whose collapse infuriated those in black and white but left referee Craig Pawson with few alternative options.

Against the odds, it was the hosts who made the most of one of the few clear-cut opportunities which came their way when Joelinton fired past keeper Alex McCarthy, who had carelessly served up the ball to Alexander Isak a split-second earlier, to snatch the points.

Newcastle looked rusty at times, particularly going forward, and Howe admitted some of his big names are yet to return to their physical peaks.

He said: "It was clear today from that early stage of the game that we've still got a few players that are off their physical best. The international players we have, that has been a big ask for them to get themselves in peak physical condition in two to three weeks.

"Normally a pre-season is five to six, so that game will serve them really well and help them. It was a tough physical game for us, so we'll certainly look sharper and physically better, hopefully, in our next games."

Opposite number Russell Martin was happy with much of what he saw and Brereton Diaz's performance in particular.

Martin said: "Ben has shown me what a good player he's going to be when he's fully up to speed. I've been really, really impressed with him since he's come in.

"I think we deserved something out of it. Even 11 v 11, I was really proud of the performance. The players, they were great. We just couldn't quite get the breakthrough, unfortunately."