Newcastle United head coach Eddie Howe was left disappointed by the performance in Sunday’s 3-1 defeat at West Ham, admitting the result was “self inflicted.” The wait for a Premier League away win this season goes on, and Newcastle’s domestic form is beginning to cause concern, despite strong showings in both the Champions League and cup competitions.
Currently sitting in 13th place with 12 points from 10 matches, Howe says everybody must take responsibility to improve.
“The focus always has to be on ourselves,” Howe said ahead of Newcastle’s Champions League match with Athletic Club on Wednesday. “The most disappointing thing about the West Ham performance was it felt self inflicted. We can do a lot better.
“I am very much included in the bad performance. We are all together and we all have to deliver better. We are focused on trying to do that; there are different emotions when you play that way.
“We try to use performances like that as a catalyst for better. Even when you don’t perform you can still win; we didn’t deliver on that at all well.”
Howe added that the number of wins across all competitions has perhaps taken some focus off the league form but is determined to use the poor showing at the London Stadium as a “turning point.”
“We are disappointed with our Premier League form and the inability to string consistent results together. The competitions we are in make it difficult because you can find consistency in one and it seems like you are consistent.
“Our recent run of results hasn’t been too bad, but we haven’t got those back-to-back wins in the Premier League to elevate ourselves.
“Whenever you produce the type of performance we did against West Ham, you want to use it as a turning point. It is a return to basics for us; I don’t think our general performances have been bad, it is about putting that together consistently.”
With six new signings arriving this summer and Alexander Isak departing, there have been significant changes at Newcastle. Howe says that while there needs to be allowances for a transitional period, that didn’t excuse the weekend’s performance.
“There needs to be an understanding that with new players comes new expectations. They have to become accustomed to what we do and how we play.
“When you play for Newcastle, you can’t have an off day physically or mentally because the game will punish you. There was a lot of experience on the pitch and I would have expected us to handle it better.”
### Newcastle United Must Fight to Save Premier League Season
It is still early days in the Premier League, and discussing the aftermath of the West Ham defeat on the eve of another Champions League night at St James’ Park is hardly ideal, given Newcastle is looking to build on successive wins in Europe.
But the reality is Newcastle’s league away form has been extremely poor in 2025, with just 16 points from a possible 42 on the road. Two of the four wins came against Leicester City and Southampton, both relegated last season.
The lack of energy and creativity shown on Sunday has been a consistent feature in a string of disappointing results. That kind of performance can have a negative impact on an entire season.
Last year, Newcastle was beaten 4-2 at Brentford—coincidentally the team they will visit again this weekend. That defeat proved to be a seminal moment for the team, which was swiftly followed by 10 successive wins. It formed the foundation for Champions League qualification and a Carabao Cup victory.
As Howe notes, Newcastle often demonstrates powers of recovery when needed. But this season, the team is less stable due to a shift in personnel and tactics.
Wednesday’s match against Athletic Club should be manageable for Newcastle, but the big test remains on the domestic front, where there is minimal room for error.
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