Newcastle United manager Eddie Howe has praised his players for maintaining their focus and momentum in the Premier League following the club’s historic Carabao Cup triumph last month. The Magpies, who ended a 70-year wait for a domestic trophy with a victory over Liverpool at Wembley, showed no signs of a post-celebration slump, cruising to a 3-0 win over Leicester City on Monday night.
The result, powered by two early goals from Jacob Murphy and a third from Harvey Barnes before halftime, propelled Newcastle above Manchester City into fifth place in the league standings, keeping them firmly in the race for Champions League qualification. With the team level on 53 points with fourth-placed Chelsea and holding a game in hand, Howe’s squad is proving that their cup success has only fueled their ambition.
“There was a worry when we won the cup that we’d drop,” Howe admitted after the match. “Just a subconscious feeling that you’ve achieved a massive high and there’s a fall from that. The challenge for the group was, can you go again? And they’ve done that well.”
The victory at Leicester marked Newcastle’s second consecutive Premier League win since their euphoric open-top bus parade through the city streets, which saw over 300,000 fans celebrate the long-awaited silverware. Rather than letting the festivities derail their season, Howe’s players have responded with renewed vigor, a testament to their professionalism and hunger for more success.
“We’re playing with confidence, but we’re going to need it because the next three games are tough,” Howe added, looking ahead to a challenging run of fixtures. Newcastle will host Manchester United this weekend, followed by another home clash against Crystal Palace on Wednesday, before traveling to face top-four rivals Aston Villa. “It’s going to hot up. The next week for us is a big week, and that will go a long way in seeing where we are at the end of the season.”
Howe’s comments reflect a manager keenly aware of the stakes. Qualifying for the Champions League would mark a significant milestone for Newcastle, both financially and competitively, as they continue their resurgence under his leadership. The former Bournemouth boss emphasized the importance of staying grounded despite the cup triumph, noting that consistency remains the key to achieving their broader goals.
“A top-four finish will mean a great deal to us,” he said. “But it’s difficult to think too far ahead and think of the implications. We need to do our job, and that is to win games.”