Newcastle’s Eddie Howe hits back at Liverpool’s ‘no ceiling’ comments

NEWCASTLE: Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp’s comment regarding “no ceiling for Newcastle” has drawn a cautious response from his United counterpart Eddie Howe, who said the German needs to be “careful” about such quips.

Following the high-profile takeover of Newcastle by majority owners the Public Investment Fund of Saudi Arabia, perception has not necessarily married perfectly with reality on Tyneside, according to Howe.

While many expect United to be a world of extravagance, the head coach revealed that is not the world in which he is working, ahead of Wednesday’s home game with Everton.

Klopp added fuel to that fire last week when he referenced the quotes of Dan Ashworth, the Magpies’ sporting director, on the club’s ambitions.

Speaking prior to his side’s encounter with Manchester City at the weekend, Klopp said: “There are three clubs in world football (Paris Saint-Germain, Manchester City and Newcastle) who can do what they want financially. It’s legal and everything, fine, but they can do what they want. They will say ‘yeah but we have,’ but it’s exactly the fact.

“I heard now that at Newcastle, somebody said ‘there is no ceiling for this club.’ Yes, he is right. He is absolutely right. There is no ceiling for Newcastle. Congratulations, but other clubs have ceilings.”

And while he is not often someone who gets involved in these things, Howe has moved to clarify Ashworth’s words as well as the reality of life at St. James’ Park.

He said: “It’s a difficult one because it’s probably been used in the wrong way. What Dan (Ashworth) meant with his comment was there’s no ceiling to our long-term ambition.

“We have huge plans and want to go to places with huge ambitions, but the reality of what we are working toward