Newcastle must play ‘with cool heads’ against Manchester City: Eddie Howe

NEWCASTLE: Eddie Howe has called for Newcastle United to face Manchester City with “cool heads” after refusing to be drawn into the debate about Jack Grealish’s derogatory Miguel Almiron comment.

During City’s Premier League title-winning celebrations, Grealish joked that the secret to his side’s 3-2 comeback win over Aston Villa on the final day of the campaign was the substitution of Riyad Mahrez, who he described as having “played like Almiron.”

It was a derogatory comment not received well on Tyneside, and by many others in the footballing community, particularly after Grealish, the most expensive ever Englishman at $118 million, only outscored Paraguayan international Almiron, who cost $19 million, by one Premier League goal last season.

And while the comments are not something Howe is keen to dwell on, he hopes Almiron and the rest of the players buy into the same matchday mantra this afternoon.

“I’ve certainly spoken to Miggy, I speak to my players on a regular basis. I haven’t broached that subject, I don’t think it’s something we really need to discuss,” said Howe.

“I see with Miggy a very happy person who is very content with his football. He’s in a really good place, very positive, and I don’t see someone who needs extra motivation. He’s an incredible person, has a real passion and desire to play football for Newcastle.

“I’ll speak to him about his game and make sure he is prepared in his normal way to deliver a performance,” he said.

“We need to play the game with cool heads. We need to have fire in our hearts but we need to play with discipline. We can’t lose that. I’ll back our players, they’re very good professionals. We need to keep all players on the pitch in every game.

“I’m not going to get