Eddie Howe has stressed total commitment to Newcastle United, as attention turns to the Premier League meeting with Leeds United, despite strong links with the vacant Manchester United role following Ruben
Amorim’s dismissal. Howe is one of several reported candidates, yet the Newcastle manager insists focus remains fixed on preparations for Leeds.
Amorim’s exit from Old Trafford followed Manchester United’s 1-1 draw with Leeds on Sunday and a tense post-match media briefing. Darren Fletcher will oversee the midweek trip to Burnley, while the club explore appointing a caretaker coach for the rest of the season before making a longer-term decision.
Howe underlined that speculation around Manchester United has not altered daily work at Newcastle, or the current sense of unity within the squad and staff. The head coach described a settled environment on Tyneside and indicated that this stability is a major reason for ignoring outside noise about other posts.
Nothing has changed from my perspective,said Howe. I'm 100% here, working as hard as I can, head down, ignoring all the stuff you guys [media] writegood or badbecause it's irrelevant. It's about today's work and trying to prepare the team as best we can for Leeds. That will never change, from my perspective. With my commitment to my work and my job, as long as I'm happy and able to express myself in the best way I can to help the team, nothing will change.
JT never misses pic.twitter.com/efgtjv995xNewcastle United (@NUFC) January 6, 2026
Asked directly whether Manchester United could lure Howe away, the answer remained firm. Howe highlighted personal satisfaction at Newcastle and strong connections within the club’s structure, suggesting those relationships are rare in elite football and a key factor behind ongoing commitment to the current position.
No, not at this current time. As I said, the most important thing for me is happiness in the role, the relationships I have with the people around me. I consider myself very lucky to have that as I think there are very few managers that have the time to build those relationships and to have the confidence and trust within each other is really important. If you have all of those things, you have a higher chance of being successful. I'm very happy at the moment, and hopefully that stays for a long time.
Newcastle United vs Leeds United form guide and Farke’s view
Leeds arrive at St. James' Park in strong form, unbeaten in seven league fixtures, with two wins and five draws. That sequence includes two draws against Liverpool and a notable victory over Chelsea, indicating Daniel Farke’s team have competed well against leading Premier League opponents.
Farke recognises the challenge posed by Newcastle, especially on Tyneside where intensity often rises, but believes Leeds have earned belief from recent results. The manager feels performances against top sides show the squad can secure points in demanding venues if levels remain high across the ninety minutes.
Newcastle in a home game, they always seem to play even more competitively and with the highest intensity, so it will definitely be a difficult task,said Farke. But we've shown also that in difficult surroundings we are capable to deliver performance, and if we deliver a performance, then we have a chance also to win points wherever we go. Everyone is in a good mood and we know that we have done really, really well against also top sides and big names in recent weeks.
#NEWLEE pic.twitter.com/ziHPeecEl9Leeds United (@LUFC) January 5, 2026
Newcastle United vs Leeds United key players to watch
Harvey Barnes stands out as a major attacking threat for Newcastle in this fixture. Across Barnes’ league career, Leeds have been a favoured opponent, with six goals scored, all coming in six of eight league starts against the Whites, though Barnes has not netted since a brace versus Manchester City on 22 November.
Leeds will look to Dominic Calvert-Lewin, whose Premier League scoring record against Newcastle is strong. Calvert-Lewin has six goals versus Newcastle in the competition, with only Crystal Palace punished more often, on seven occasions. This season, eight league goals place Calvert-Lewin behind only Erling Haaland, Igor Thiago and Antoine Semenyo.
Newcastle United vs Leeds United trends, records and probabilities
Recent league form favours Newcastle. Howe’s side have won two consecutive Premier League matches, last building a longer winning streak in April 2025, when five straight victories were recorded, underlining the current opportunity to extend momentum in front of home supporters.
At St. James' Park, Newcastle are unbeaten in seven league outings, winning five and drawing two, scoring exactly two goals in every match within that run. Against promoted teams, Newcastle have avoided defeat in the last 13 home league meetings, with eight victories and five draws, taking maximum points in the most recent five.
Leeds, however, remain the last promoted side to win a Premier League game at St. James' Park, back in January 2021. Since then, Leeds have claimed two wins in their last eight league away fixtures against Newcastle, drawing three and losing three, yet remain unbeaten in the previous three visits on Tyneside.
Head-to-head league results between Newcastle and Leeds also show a balanced pattern. Newcastle have recorded only one win in the last seven Premier League clashes with Leeds, drawing four and losing two. That sole victory came with a 1-0 success at Elland Road in January 2022, during Howe’s tenure.
Howe’s personal record in league matches against Leeds is strong. Across four Premier League meetings, Howe has never been beaten, earning one win and three draws, with only Swansea faced more often without defeat. Yet Howe has not gained a top-flight victory over Farke in three attempts, drawing twice and losing once.
OPTA’s model gives Newcastle a clear statistical edge for this match. The data-driven probabilities are presented below in a simple breakdown of expected outcomes based on current form, historical performance and other metrics used within the analytical system.
| Outcome | Probability |
|---|---|
| Newcastle United win | 63.8% |
| Draw | 19.3% |
| Leeds United win | 16.9% |
Newcastle’s recent results, home record and Howe’s unbeaten league history against Leeds suggest confidence on Tyneside before kick-off, though Leeds arrive with a seven-game unbeaten run and positive memories at St. James' Park. With both managers convinced their teams can compete, the match carries meaningful implications for form and momentum.
