Eddie Howe uses Newcastle United 'trash talk' to spark response against Chelsea

Eddie Howe has revealed he has no problem "firing up" his Newcastle United stars for the visit to Chelsea tomorrow.

Howe and his players are aware of some of the harsh criticism of his team's performances in recent weeks and the head coach is not afraid to expose some of his squad to it. His stance is simple going into the game at Stamford Bridge and Howe is looking to utilise the trash talk to motivate his players in West London.

Howe told Chronicle Live: "For me you always have a point to prove whenever you play. I get your question. At the moment I am sure there will be noise in our direction and question marks. And we have to respond to those.

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"As you always do at the elite level. In some senses I want the players to really embrace that. Playing with that motivation and edge is always a healthy thing to do. We need it in our game and possibly early season in our performances it wasn't there. So I am all for it let's attack the games, we will attack the games, and I certainly back our players to be good enough."

In years gone by, Newcastle have struggled in this fixture and at times attempted to park the bus to yield a point. But this is no longer the approach at United.

Indeed, Sean Longstaff told Alan Shearer's Rest is Football Podcast only last week: "In years gone by we'd go to Chelsea and hopefully it will be a great day out, we will get 11 men behind the ball and nick a point. Now you are going to Chelsea and you need to win to take points off the top teams."

Howe did little to tone that approach down in the build-up to Stamford Bridge, and wants his players to attack the game.

Howe said: "My thought process to it all is that there is always a different way to look at any challenge. We certainly respect their strengths and we know we need to deal with those strengths.

"Also we know we have huge strengths as well so it is about trying to utilise those assets and making sure our attacking players and our difference makers get themselves in the best physical and mental position to execute what they need to do."

The aftermath to the 1-0 loss to Brighton was a gloomy one with few people buying into the hard luck stories that emerged after the game.

Reflecting on the week that was Howe said: "I think you do, I think you know through time what to expect, reactions to certain moments or events. As I always say with these things, I try to keep myself isolated from it so I'm less exposed to sways in momentum and positivity.

"I think that's the best way for me to act, to try to be very consistent with the players, very level-headed, very calm at the right times and maybe not so calm at the right times in other moments, because I think you need a variety to that.

"But certainly at the moment, as long as I see the performances and the effort - which is absolutely crucial – from the players and the determination to win, then to a degree you have to accept what we deliver. The last few games, I've been heartened by what I've seen, but certainly we need to turn those performances into results soon."