Newcastle's Howe seeks win over old club to ignite season

LONDON : Newcastle United manager Eddie Howe will face his old club Bournemouth in the Premier League on Saturday, hoping to ignite a season that has so far been a slow burner.

Seven points from their opening six games is a modest haul for a club with such grand ambitions following last year's Saudi Arabia-backed takeover but the mood on Tyneside remains buoyant.

That is hardly surprising considering last season Newcastle went into December without a league win and on a meagre seven points before finally beating Burnley.

Howe, appointed last November, has turned Newcastle into a side that are tough to beat and a thrilling 3-3 draw with champions Manchester City in August proved they have the capability to trouble the big guns.

Some eye-catching signings such as the deadline day swoop for Swedish striker Alexander Isak have fuelled optimism that Newcastle can target the top eight or even higher.

The reality is, however, that newly-promoted Bournemouth have the same points total despite suffering a record-equalling 9-0 defeat by Liverpool and sacking manager Scott Parker after just four games of the season.

"This is very much a 'must win' game for me," Newcastle fan Dale Thompson, writing for online fanzine The Mag, said.

"Not to avoid relegation, as was the case for so long last season. It's a 'must win' if we are going to see Newcastle United now put together the kind of run I think they need to, if NUFC are to do anything of significance this season."

Howe made 300 appearances for Bournemouth as a player and then, as manager, guided them from the fourth tier into the Premier League where they remained for four seasons.

He describes his decision to leave following relegation in 2020 as one of his toughest, but there will be no