Eddie Howe reveals the moment that 'united' Newcastle dressing room

Eddie Howe believes Newcastle United’s mid-season trip to Saudi Arabia inspired the club’s impressive run of form.

Only title-cashing Liverpool are above Howe’s side in the Premier League form table right now, with six wins in their last seven outings lifting the Magpies 10 points clear of the relegation zone. A nine-game unbeaten run has quashed fears about relegation and supporters are already dreaming about the prospect of next season.

It is a dramatic turnaround that did not look conceivable when the squad jetted off to the Middle East at the end of January. Newcastle were fresh from claiming their second win of the season against Leeds but were still plunged in a relegation dogfight - sitting 18th in the table and one point from safety.

The week-long trip was seen as an inevitability by some as it gave Saudi Arabia their first look at a football team its sovereign wealth fund had recently acquired. Since the trip, the Magpies have claimed a further five victories and are now comfortably out of the bottom three, with the Newcastle dressing room looking as united as ever.

Howe insists the trip played a huge part in boosting morale within the squad and allowing the players to gel on the pitch. He told Sky Sports : “The spirit was definitely helped by a few things.

“I think our trip to Saudi Arabia was really important to gel the group together, for team bonding, and for all the things that you probably don't see off the pitch but are so important on the pitch. I think that helped unite us. And then the confidence that winning brings. I think is you can talk about winning, but I think you actually have to feel it and experience it to then generate that feeling of confidence within the group.

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