Eddie Howe: PSG Var incident hardens our view that everyone is against Newcastle

Eddie Howe has claimed Newcastle United’s controversial Champions League draw against Paris Saint Germain has merely hardened the view that people want them to fail.

Howe remained calm after his side were denied a famous victory over PSG after a late intervention from the Var official saw the home side awarded a late penalty but the Newcastle manager believes the burning sense of injustice at the club is helping to fuel an “us against the world” mentality.

Ever since the club was bought by a consortium led by Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund in 2021, Newcastle have been aware of a growing animosity towards them in the Premier League.

“We have to try and use it as motivation,” said Howe, ahead of Saturday’s evening highly-anticipated home game against Manchester United. “ I don’t know if that feeling has to be injustice, but if that helps certain players reach their full potential for this game, I’m all for that. “It’s another day, a different competition. I always want that sense that we are against everybody outside of Newcastle. That helps us. It’s a good mentality to have, that we are competing against everybody else.

“It’s certainly served us well to this point so if it helps the players, great. I don’t think I had to develop it (an us against world mentality) strategically. I think it has happened.

“There have been events that have led us down that path really. I think it’s relevant for us. I think it’s there, in our psychology, It is powerful. It is a powerful tool.

“I do think we need to use it and embrace it to try and bring that group closer together, to bring our squad closer together and to bring the whole club closer together. To bring us closer to our supporters, to let them know we are fighting everybody else to achieve success. I think that’s a really healthy image to have in our heads. We haven’t had to twist things. I don’t think we have had to fabricate it. Certain events (like Premier League clubs trying to change rules on sponsorship and transfers) have happened and we are fighting against every other Premier League team to try to be successful.”

The incorrect intervention by Var in Paris has also solidified Howe’s position that the ever increasing use of technology to officiate matches is going to “ruin the game.”

“I’d like to see less VAR,” he added. “I don’t have an issue with offsides because that is as close as it can be to being right, whether you agree with the decision, the lines give you a black and white yes or no.

“The rest, I’m not in favour. I still think it’s just another person’s opinion against another person’s opinion. It’s very subjective. I’d like to see less. I definitely wouldn’t want to see more because I think it would ruin the game.”