Eddie Howe expects the race for Europe to go ‘right to the wire’ as Newcastle look to secure a place in continental competition for next season.
Newcastle travel to face relegation-threatened Burnley in the Premier League this weekend as Howe faces reunion with his former club at Turf Moor.
The Magpies sit seventh in the table, a point behind Manchester United. Sixth-place will earn a Europa Conference League berth as things stand, though will become a Europa League position if Manchester City beat Manchester United in the FA Cup final later this month.
“We know we’re going to have to win games to qualify for Europe and we know it’s going to be tight,” Howe said at his pre-match press conference.
“We’re up against top quality teams and Chelsea are in a good vein of form too so I think it will go right to the wire.”
Howe will need Newcastle to improve their poor away record this season against Burnley, having won just four times on the road all season. Their last away game ended in defeat at Crystal Palace and Howe was asked for his view on the club’s away-day struggles.
“For me I always tried to focus on the game and not where it is played. I urge my players to do the same. In the last few games we have shown flashes of being back to our very best. I want to see that for 90 minutes if we can.”
Kieran Trippier will miss the clash with his former team, though Howe said he hopes the right-back will be fit before the end of the season. Elsewhere, Newcastle have issues in central defence and Emil Krafth could deputise.
“He’s (Trippier) been away training by himself with our physiotherapist. We anticipate he’ll be back next week to train, hopefully. He could be involved before the end of the season.
“In the centre-back position we’re lighter than we’d like to be with Jamaal [Lascelles], Sven [Botman] and now Fabian [Schar] missing but Emil came on and played really, really well last week. Emil has played well in that central position well for us this year. I have no doubts over his qualities.”
