Eddie Howe can take Newcastle United back to the heights of the Champions League - because he's done it all before. That's the verdict of former Magpies striker Andy Cole, who has backed his old side for a strong 2025.

Howe led Newcastle to a top-four finish in 2023, which led to a dramatic Champions League campaign that saw United drawn against Paris St-Germain, AC Milan and Borussia Dortmund in a tough group. No one will ever forget that 4-1 win against French champions PSG, complete with Kylian Mbappe, but injuries meant Newcastle perhaps struggled with the demands of European football.

The Magpies start 2025 on a five-match winning run, having ended the year with a 2-0 victory over Manchester United at Old Trafford, and with less 'distractions' than some of their rivals, have been tipped to mount a top-four challenge again. Their return to form has come at an important time for Howe, with some hinting at pressure growing following a mixed start to the season.

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However Cole, who also starred for Man United, Blackburn Fulham and Man City in a lengthy career, has backed Howe to continue to steer Newcastle towards their lofty ambitions.

"Eddie Howe is the right man to get Newcastle back to the Champions League because he has shown that he can get them to those levels before," Cole told CardPlayer.com.

"The season before that we have to remember that they nearly got relegated, it was probably the case that they got into the Champions League earlier than they expected and it hasn’t been easy to follow up on that. But whatever happens this season Howe has still done a fantastic job."

Newcastle get their 2025 under way with a Premier League away game at Tottenham, followed by the first leg of their Carabao Cup semi-final against Arsenal at the Emirates.