Eddie Howe on new injury blow, January transfer window and goalless draw with Leeds

Eddie Howe watched on as his team kept yet another clean sheet.

However, his team couldn’t end 2022 on a winning note, as a surprisingly negative Leeds side held out for a point.

Meslier as man of the match, as the visiting keeper pulled off a string of saves.

Newcastle certainly were the more deserving winners but had to settle for a point.

After the match, Eddie Howe revealed a new injury problem.

Jamel Lewis was on the bench and the NUFC Head Coach revealed that the absent Matt Targett is set to be missing for a while.

“It is a heel problem and it has been going on for the past couple of months, it’s now too painful to carry on. He is going to be out for a period of time as it is a nasty injury.”

Kieran Trippier’s booking means that he will also be missing the Arsenal game with a one game suspension, as it was his fifth of the season.

Other than that though, Eddie Howe was pretty upbeat, despite the game ending in a draw.

Eddie Howe speaking to BBC Sport:

“The desire was there, the quality was there, but the finishing wasn’t there.

“We had a number of opportunities that normally we take.

“We paid the price for that in terms of the result.

“We had the chances and on another day we score at least a couple of those.

“Then we became more desperate and it just didn’t happen.

“We knew Leeds were going to come here and make it very difficult by stopping our flow.

“I thought we were really good today.

“It was a good battle and we defended really well, which was important.

“2022 has been a great year, a year of real progress.

“The team has developed really well.

“We have had some great results and now we look forward to next year.

“We are just going about our business in the way that we see best, training our best and trying to improve the squad every day we train.

“There are big challenges ahead but we look forward to those.”

Eddie Howe on the January 2023 transfer window:

“Difficult to predict the transfer window.

“There’s a lot of football to be played, so let’s see what happens.”

Eddie Howe on what has pleased him this year:

“The effort and commitment of the players has been pleasing.

They give that every single day.

“Real praise to them for what they have given the club.

“I can’t thank them highly enough for their efforts.”

Stats from BBC Sport:

Newcastle 0 Leeds 0 – Saturday 31 December 3pm

Goals:

Newcastle United:

Leeds:

(Half-time stats in brackets)

Possession was Leeds 41% (49%) Newcastle 59% (51%)

Total shots were Leeds 8 (6) Newcastle 16 (9)

Shots on target were Leeds 1 (0) Newcastle 5 (3)

Corners were Leeds 3 (3) Newcastle 9 (4)

Referee: Simon Hooper

Newcastle United:

Pope, Trippier, Schar, Botman, Burn, Bruno, Longstaff, Willock (Saint-Maximin 64), Almiron (Murphy 84), Joelinton, Wood (Wilson 64)

Unused Subs:

Darlow, Lascelles, Ritchie, Lewis, Manquillo, Anderson

(Newcastle 0 Leeds 0 – The instant NUFC fan / writer reaction – Read HERE)

(Newcastle 0 Leeds 0 – You can’t win them all! – Read HERE)

(Big blow as Kieran Trippier ruled out of Arsenal match after Newcastle 0 Leeds 0 – Read HERE)