With the transfer window behind them, Newcastle United boss Eddie Howe thought that uncertainty was behind Magpies until Dan Ashworth episode with Manchester United.
Matt Ritchie left the field with his head bowed despite grabbing an injury time equaliser that saved Newcastle United against his old club AFC Bournemouth.
The 34-year-old may have taken his anger out on the corner flag, but he later spoke of the Magpies’ “disappointment” at taking just a point against a struggling Cherries side that have not won since Boxing Day. Even when Ritchie scored so late in the day, there were still eight minutes of added time to win it.
But Newcastle could not find that winning moment at St James’ Park and for the second home match running dropped two important points to leave their European hopes in the balance. Ritchie then left the stadium without holding court with newspaper reporters, perhaps feeling he’d made his point on the field and saved one for Newcastle in the process.
Afterwards, Howe spoke of Ritchie as somebody who “drives standards” and the fact that the winger walked off the field without a smile on his face and told team-mates he was not satisfied with the day’s work summed that up. The truth is Newcastle, after a £400million spend since the takeover, should be taking home wins against teams like Luton and Bournemouth and have now twice stuttered.
United’s last home win came in mid-December and their next clash at St James’ Park is March 2 meaning that Howe’s team will have gone two months without giving their fans something to cheer about at a ground that was a fortress only last season. When all that’s considered you can understand Ritchie’s unwillingness to milk things too match afterwards.
The Dan Ashworth situation is in danger of turning into a bit of a farce at St James’ Park. And Howe knows that better than anybody.
Just a day before the 2-2 draw with Bournemouth, Howe had effectively given Ashworth the chance to come out and give the Tyneside public some reassurance that he was not about to join a rival club. But only silence has followed despite Howe’s underlining concerns that a potential departing sporting director to Man United is still very much in the thick of the informational St James’ Park.
Ashworth surprised some by taking his seat in the Milburn Stand just a day after Howe had said: “We want a quick resolution”. When asked if Howe had received anything back from Ashworth or could provide an update he said: “No, nothing.”
And after a follow up question to Chronicle Live’s attempts at clarification on Ashworth’s next move, Howe was asked if he had even spoken to the ex-Brighton supremo but simply said: “No.”
Stranger things have happened of course, but Newcastle’s chances of making the top four look all but over. They now trail Aston Villa by 12 points Unai Emery’s men got back on track with a 2-1 win at Fulham and the Magpies dropped two points at home to Bournemouth.
Even the Europa League might prove to be a struggle now with Newcastle 10 points behind Spurs and four points behind Man United who take on Luton tomorrow. After the game United drifted out to 28/1 to finish in the top four with Sky Bet.
