Howe aims ‘training’ dig at £124m Newcastle flops who ‘have to deliver goals’ | OneFootball

Eddie Howe has told two struggling Newcastle stars they have to “commit to the training” to earn a place in his starting lineup.

Newcastle sit 14th in the Premier League table after a harrowing run of eight defeats in 11 Premier League games to ramp up the pressure on Howe at St James’ Park.

Club-record signing Nick Woltemade, who joined the club in a £69m transfer from Stuttgart, has really struggled after a positive start to life in the North East and has featured for just ten minutes in the last two games, with William Osula preferred as the No.9.

Asked what Woltemade has to do to get back into the team, Howe said: “It is difficult because our centre forwards have been productive. Anthony Gordon played up front and was scoring as the number nine and now Will Osula has come in and scored as a number nine.

“At the minute we have gone with a different option to Nick. His fitness is fine. When he plays he has to deliver the goals we need.”

£55m summer signing Yoane Wissa has featured even less – a grand total of two minutes across the last five games – and Howe told the pair “they have to show their worth in training”.

He added: “Like with every player that’s not playing, they have to show their worth in the training, and I think that’s their shop window for me to pick them, to show how they train, how they commit to the training.

“How much they’re prepared to put individual disappointment to the side for the team to then come back fighting again.”

PIF visit no concern for Howe amid sack talk

Howe also looked to play down the visit of Public Investment Fund chief Yasir Al-Rumayyan next week amid doubts over his future at the club, insisting it’s a routine visit after the club told journalists that Howe “retains full backing” from those PIF investors.

Howe said: “It’s something that happens regularly, so it’s nothing out of the norm for us.

“I always like the chance to talk directly to the owners and to express things from my perspective. It’s something we have always done, and I look forward to that next week.”

As Howe prepares his side for a trip to the Emirates to take on Arsenal on Saturday, he says the focus is simply on winning games rather than targeting European football.

Howe said: “Five wins out of five are needed for ourselves, they’re needed for the club, they’re needed for everybody.

“So I don’t think we’re looking at it as for Europe. I think we’re looking at it that we need to win a game. First step is win a game and then try and win another one, and that’s what we’re trying to do.