Frank McAvennie gives verdict on Eddie Howe’s signings at Newcastle

Newcastle United were 19th in the Premier League and two points adrift of safety on January 1, but the Magpies now find themselves 14th in the table and nine points clear of the relegation zone.

Eddie Howe has been credited for his work on the training ground breeding results on the pitch, but Frank McAvennie believes Newcastle signing players without a negative reputation was also a reason.

Newcastle are 17th in the league for goals conceded (49) and 16th in the league for shots conceded (14.3 per game), so they brought in Matt Targett from Aston Villa, Dan Burn from Brighton & Hove Albion and Kieran Trippier from Atletico Madrid to strengthen the defence.

The Magpies are 19th in the league for possession (39.1%) and 17th in the league for pass completion (73.9%), so they brought in Bruno Guimaraes from Olympique Lyonnais to bolster the midfield.

And Newcastle are 14th in the league for goals (32) and 11th in the league for shots (12.1 per game), so they brought in Chris Wood from Burnley. McAvennie said of the new arrivals: “You need to have the right balance in that dressing room.

“If you have a big ego in there all of a sudden, it can upset things. Eddie Howe seems to be getting that right, look at the players that were signed in January. They spent the money but I wouldn’t say any superstars came in.”

Howe signing players from Villa, Brighton and Burnley suggests Newcastle’s thinking was for hungry talent that relished the challenge, rather than ones looking for a payday. There shouldn’t be an ego problem when signing players from lowly clubs and McAvennie says Howe has so far got that right.

In other news, Danny Mills says Newcastle could upgrade Callum Wilson due to ‘fitness issues’