‘I think it’s a great time to be involved with Newcastle United’ Eddie Howe

Eddie Howe was a proud man at almost 6pm or so on Saturday.

The Newcastle United boss seeing his team finally get over the line into the FA Cup fourth round: “We didn’t give up. It was a classic FA Cup tie and [whilst] extra-time was probably the last thing both managers wanted, the priority was to try and get through. It is important. These months are defined by your professionalism and your will to win.”

Aaron Ramsdale had mixed fortunes in this match as he conceded three goals but made some important saves as well.

Then when it came to the penalty shootout, three times he prevented Bournemouth spot-kicks to send United through.

Eddie Howe saying about his loan signing: “Aaron made big saves for us and sometimes in a really tight win like this, great things can come.”

With so many matches to play in quick succession and plenty of players missing and recovering, it has been a delicate balancing act and one that will continue as United compete in four competitions.

Eddie Howe on making the selection decisions across the four competitions: “We have taken the right stance so far but we will assess it on a day to day basis. obviously one area where we [especially] didn’t want to lose players was defensively and we have lost two in quick succession. We discuss things on a daily basis and we will try to make the right decision, I think we need players to play games and we need enough cover.”

With the way the match turned out, it became anything but an FA Cup match where Newcastle United could give key players the ideal amount of rest and protect all the players, as much as possible.

Eddie Howe admitting: “Today, unfortunately we put a couple of the players at risk just with extra-time. That is, every player on the pitch the risk gets higher in extra-time the more that you play. We would love to have enough bodies to lessen that risk but at the moment we don’t have the options.”

One of those who didn’t even get close to seeing extra-time was Tino Livramento, forced off before an hour had been played due to injury.

With Lewis Hall replacing him, Eddie Howe saying this about Tino: “It looks serious to a point where he will be out for the next game and the games beyond…it looks like a hamstring problem.”

Man of the moment Harvey Barnes scored United’s first and third goals, as well as dispatching his penalty in the shootout.

With four goals in his last two matches, the former Leicester winger impressing Eddie Howe: “A great performance, he is always a scorer of important goals and he thought his second tonight would be the winner, but it wasn’t to be. He took a penalty in the shootout [as well]”

After Champions League qualification and a trophy last season, Newcastle United five months into this campaign have progressed in the FA Cup, are top six in the Premier League, a semi-final away from a third Carabao Cup final in four years, plus all but guaranteed at least the minimum of a play-off place for the Champions League last 16 with two games still left to play.

Eddie Howe summing it all up: “I think it is a great time to be involved with Newcastle United. We have the Champions League to come, the will to win has taken us into the latter stages of the League Cup, we have every reason to be enthusiastic about the future. The result [against Bournemouth] just keeps the good feeling going and we want to keep the momentum going, we experienced two semi-finals [against Arsenal] last season that were incredible.”

Newcastle 3 Bournemouth 3 AET and NUFC win 7-6 on penalties –  Saturday 10 January 2026 3pm

Match Stats

Goals:

Newcastle United:

Barnes 50, 118 ET, Gordon 90+5

(Penalty shoot out – Woltemade and Bruno not scoring BUT Gordon, Tonali, Joelinton, Barnes, Hall, Miley and Thiaw all scoring)

Bournemouth:

Scott 62, Brooks 68, Tavernier 120+2

Possession was Newcastle 63% Bournemouth 37%

Total shots were Newcastle 23 Bournemouth 22

Shots on target were Newcastle 7 Bournemouth 13

Corners were Newcastle 7 Bournemouth 5

Touches in the opposition box Newcastle 67 Bournemouth 32

Newcastle team v Bournemouth:

Ramsdale, Trippier (Miley 69), Thiaw, Botman, Livramento (Hall 59), Tonali, Willock (Joelinton), Ramsey (Bruno 79), Barnes, Wissa (Gordon 69), Woltemade

Unused subs:

Pope, Alabi, Neave, Alex Murphy