Howe hoping Newcastle relegation fights are behind them

Eddie Howe has vowed to do everything in his power to ensure Newcastle's latest battle for Premier League survival is the last they have to wage.

The Magpies will play in next season's top flight after staging a hugely-impressive recovery to drag themselves from the foot of the table and ease their way into a position where they could yet clinch a top-10 finish with a final-day victory at Burnley on Sunday.

That fightback was aided in no small part by the takeover in October which prompted Howe's recruitment and a £90million-plus January investment and - with ambitious plans in place for the future - the 44-year-old is hoping the seemingly-annual flirtation with disaster on Tyneside will now be consigned to history.

Asked if this was the last season during which the club would have to worry about relegation, Howe said: "I certainly hope so.

"There are no guarantees in football and that's what makes the game so beautiful because you never know what's around the corner.

"We have ambitions to improve, so I hope that we're not in this position again where we're fighting through the season.

"But the Premier League is so difficult, the league examines you in lots of different ways. The competition is fierce, everyone will have different aims and dreams.

"All I can pledge is that I will do everything in my power to make sure we come back a stronger team. But there's no guarantee on anything."

What is certain is that the Magpies will finish the 2021-22 campaign a stronger team than they started it, a fact illustrated graphically by Monday night's thrilling 2-0 victory over Arsenal in front of an ecstatic home crowd at St James' Park.

Ben White's own goal and a late second from £35million Brazilian Bruno Guimaraes, who - having been