Eddie Howe backs Newcastle to match Manchester United as a global force

Eddie Howe has insisted there is no reason why Newcastle cannot one day match Manchester United as a global force. Newcastle go into Sunday’s game at Old Trafford having just started the process of rebuilding under their new Saudi-backed owners, and Howe is convinced there is no limit to what can be achieved.

Asked whether Newcastle could ever be as big as Manchester United, the manager replied: “I don’t like to put ceilings on individual players and I don’t like to put ceilings on clubs either. Looking at my own history, Bournemouth were associated as a League One, League Two team, primarily League One, but we have seen them grow into a Premier League club, so why not?

“The aim of this club with the ambition behind the scenes – which is huge now – I have always said we have to now try and deliver those huge ambitions. But there is no ceiling here. When you see the passion around the city … the thing that always blows me away is the young people here, the 12-, 13- and 14-year-olds, their passion for Newcastle. It runs through generations and that won’t stop.

“What will happen hopefully is the global brand and the global enthusiasm for Newcastle will grow. The global support will definitely change through time if the club can be successful. I am putting more pressure on myself here, but that is the challenge and that is where the club wants to be. Who knows what the future will look like in 20 or 30 years.”

Newcastle’s 5-1 win over Brentford last Saturday included two goals from Bruno Guimarães, which Howe said had come as a bonus. “When we signed him, we didn’t think we were getting goals as part of his game, to be honest,” he said. “His goal record wasn’t something we looked at and thought: ‘We’ll change that and add