Newcastle have dropped 19 points from winning positions in the Premier League this season
Eddie Howe said Newcastle’s late defeat at home to Brentford is damaging for his side’s psychology after they let yet another lead slip in a 3-2 loss.
After both sides had led respectively through Sven Botman and Igor Thiago, Dango Ouattara struck with less than five minutes to play to seal the victory at St James’ Park, which left the Toon languishing in the bottom half of the Premier League.
Reflecting on the game to Sky Sports, Howe said: “It is a massive disappointment. It was hard work out there for us.
“It was the type of game we probably thought it would be – two physical teams going at each other and at 2-2 I thought we were in the ascendancy and we would go on and win the game, but the third goal is a bad one from our view point.
“It is damaging. It is damaging for our psychology but there is only one way to solve that and it is to dig out a win from somewhere and then you can totally flip the feeling in one match and I think that is what we have to try and do.”
Newcastle have squandered a league-most 19 points from winning positions this season, with their inability to hold onto leads becoming a consistent downfall for the Toon.
Howe added: “I think it has been a feature of our performances this season. When we have been leading, we haven’t gone with the conviction to put the game to bed.
“There were a couple of moments where we could have made it 2-0, we didn’t and then we concede two goals and had to do it the hard way.
“I thought we were going to win the game to be honest but the third goal is really poor from our perspective and we just have to deal with it.
“We pride ourselves on finding ways to win and we have done historically but at the moment we are not.
“We are battling, we are fighting. The players are 100% trying. I don’t think we our playing at our best and at the moment we are on the wrong of every mistake and it is something we have to rectify quickly.”
Not for the first time this season, Newcastle were greeted with boos from sections of the St James’ Park faithful with criticism beginning to come the manager’s way after a glorious few years in charge of the Magpies.
“I thought the crowd considering today were really, really good,” Howe added. “We haven’t performed as we would want to consistently this season and I think they have backed with us and stayed with us.
“I have no issue with anything they delivered for us, it is up to us to deliver better.”
