Eddie Howe concedes Newcastle's confidence dip following series of losses

Newcastle United have endured defeats in their past four fixtures across all tournaments, with three occurring in the Premier League, resulting in a slide to 14th position in the table. This slump has all but dashed their prospects of European qualification next year, despite their participation in the Champions League during the current campaign.

We have shed some confidence lately, and that was evident in our match versus Bournemouth last Saturday. Given our string of poor outcomes and the misfortunes we have faced, the squad members are not reaching their peak performance. It shows plainly, Howe shared with the press.

We possess several highly talented individuals in the team who are not delivering at full capacity, and it is impossible to quantify the impact of low morale on each person.

This week, my focus has been on bolstering the players and assisting them, aiming to provide effective training sessions, and then guiding them on restoring both personal and team excellence.

That said, Howe noted that Gordon, the forward with 17 goals to his name this season, will sit out due to a hip problem that sidelined him for the Bournemouth encounter and prevented training this week.

It is not a major issue, but he will miss this fixture too. Fingers crossed for the following match, Howe added.

This injury compounds Howe's challenges in the attacking department, as the clubs highest priced acquisition, Nick Woltemade, has been benched in recent opening lineups even though he is in good shape.

Managing the forwards is tricky since our central strikers have contributed well. Anthony Gordon has featured as the lead attacker, netting goals in that role, and now Will Osula has stepped up and found the net too, Howe clarified.

It is tough to decide, as you must acknowledge those who perform. Currently, I have opted for an alternative to Nick. His condition is fine, but whenever he gets his chance, he needs to match that output and supply the strikes we require.

Howe was forthright regarding the risks of ongoing subpar showings, suggesting substantial alterations to the roster during the upcoming transfer window should improvements not materialise.

Should the side continue underachieving, the summer adjustments will exceed what was planned before. We must respond to the evidence. This occurs constantly, every week and day, away from the public eye, he stated.

I believe the squad anticipates as much, given the duty to excel. This responsibility extends to me too, in maximising support for the players and team. It comes with the role.