Newcastle United coach Eddie Howe is under pressure after his side were beaten 2-1 by Bournemouth in the Premier League on Saturday.
The Magpies have lost their last four games in all competitions, conceding 13 goals in that period, and three consecutive top-flight games.
In fact, Newcastle have lost five of their last seven Premier League games, losing three times at St. James' Park at the time, and have won just three of their last 13 in this division.
The club is 14th in the table and will miss European football altogether after finishing fifth and qualifying for the Champions League last season.
There have been circumstances that reduced Howe, such as the loss of Alexander Isak to Liverpool, but recent results have put pressure on his position.
The Premier League manager is open to taking the job at Newcastle
According to GIVEMESPORT, there is uncertainty about Howe's position as Newcastle coach, although it is not clear that his job is in danger.
The England tactician has made it clear that he wants to stay and has the fire to continue managing the club, but it will be interesting to see whether or not the board choose to make a change at the end of the season.
GIVEMESPORT report that they are already eyeing Bournemouth manager Andoni Iraola as a possible replacement for Howe this summer.
The Spanish coach has confirmed he will leave the Cherries at the end of the season when his contract expires, making him a free agent ahead of the 2026/27 campaign.
Iraola is said to view Newcastle as an attractive career opportunity, should the role become available, and would be more interested in taking up the position at St James' Park than a move to Crystal Palace, who have also been linked with his services.
How Andoni Iraola passed his Newcastle United trial
The Newcastle board saw the Spanish player up close on Saturday when his team arrived in St. James' Park to get all three points on Saturday.
It was not a blow for the Cherries on Tyneside because they played bright football and created many high quality chances with the ball that always passes and moves coached by Iraola.
|
Newcastle 1-2 Bournemouth |
||
|---|---|---|
|
Mathematics |
Newcastle |
Bournemouth |
|
Possession |
54% |
46% |
|
Great opportunities |
2 |
4 |
|
Shots |
12 |
12 |
|
xG |
1.59 |
2.99 |
|
The fight is done |
15 |
25 |
They have built twice as many 'big chances' as Newcastle and almost double the xG of Howe's team, which speaks to the difference in build quality between the two coaches.
In the Premier League this season, Bournemouth created 54.2 xG to Newcastle's 49.5 xG. This, in effect, means that Iraola has coached a more efficient attacking unit than Howe's.
On top of that, the Cherries are six points behind the Magpies in the Premier League table and behind Chelsea in sixth place on goal difference, which means they still have a chance to qualify for Europe.
Iraola, called “one of the best managers in the Premier League” by Fabrizio Romano, has been asked to be considered for jobs at Liverpool and Chelsea by expert Tim Sherwood, showing how much his coaching has impressed people this season.
The former Athletic Bilbao defender has done an impressive job with the Cherries as they were bottom and top in xG in the 2022/23 campaign under Gary O'Neil, with 34 xPTS in 38 games, and has turned them into a team to watch over the past three seasons.
His basic team stats are strong, as mentioned above, and the play style that focuses on compact play and quick attacking moves makes them pleasing to the eye.
That's why Iraola could come up with Howe at Newcastle because he can improve the team's results, the way they play and the way they play, based on what happened at both clubs this season and this Saturday's game.
Therefore, the Magpies should strongly consider a move for the Spaniard if they decide to make a change at the end of the campaign.
Newcastle are now aiming to sign the Tottenham star as Lange sets a £35m price tag
Spurs are clear about their expectations.
