Newcastle United’s latest away defeat at Liverpool underlined Eddie Howe’s concern over consistency, with the head coach stressing there is no quick fix for the team’s stuttering Premier League form on the road
after a 4-1 loss at Anfield.
Anthony Gordon had put Newcastle ahead in the 36th minute, finishing a strong counter-attack to reward a confident start. Liverpool responded before half-time, though, as Hugo Ekitike struck twice in two minutes, before second-half goals from Florian Wirtz and Ibrahima Konate completed a convincing turnaround.
The setback added to a worrying pattern away from St James’ Park this season. Newcastle have now suffered six league defeats on their travels, winning only twice. Across the division, only Leeds United and Burnley, with one away victory each, and Wolves, with none, have collected fewer road wins.
Newcastle also continue to struggle to protect leads. They have dropped 16 points from winning positions in Premier League matches in this campaign. Only Bournemouth and West Ham, who have each let slip 18 points after going ahead, have seen more advantages disappear during the season.
Reflecting on the performance, Howe highlighted the long-running problem away from home and pointed to fitness issues. Newcastle travelled to Anfield with several absentees, which influenced the game plan. Howe felt the players’ attitude remained strong despite the defeat and the scoreline.
Howe told TNT Sports the squad had been affected by injuries and that the coaching staff had to adjust their tactical approach. Howe explained that, under the circumstances, the chosen line-up and structure represented the only realistic option available, and that there were still encouraging elements within the display.
Death, taxes and Newcastle failing to win at Anfield. The visitors suggested they might get a result with a promising first-half performance, but Liverpool stormed back for their first Premier League win of the season after conceding the first goal. pic.twitter.com/uAldykizrOOpta Analyst (@OptaAnalyst) January 31, 2026
Despite the heavy score, Howe pointed to "really positive signs" that the staff believe can be developed. Howe said Newcastle must "keep looking for solutions" during a demanding spell that features many away fixtures, and stressed the need to become "really finely tuned" to address the travel problems.
Newcastle away form, injuries and upcoming fixtures under Eddie Howe
Newcastle’s schedule now moves quickly from Anfield to knockout football. Howe’s side face Manchester City in the second leg of their EFL Cup semi-final, trailing 2-0 on aggregate. After the cup tie, Newcastle meet Brentford, who currently sit one place above them in ninth position in the Premier League.
Speaking to BBC Match of the Day, Howe accepted that inconsistency has stretched across the entire league campaign. Howe said Newcastle have not delivered a complete 90-minute performance this season and described the group as still working towards being "the perfect team" while acknowledging "there is no magic wand".
Howe outlined that the current injury list left little room for rotation and confirmed the Liverpool line-up was effectively the only selection possible. Howe added that the difficult run could drive improvement, pushing the head coach and staff to find answers that make Newcastle more resilient and effective away from home.
