Newcastle United CEO David Hopkinson gave lukewarm support to manager Eddie Howe after a painful 2-1 home defeat to Sunderland.
The loss dropped Newcastle to 12th in the Premier League, with fans booing the team off the pitch at St James’ Park. It marked Sunderland’s second league double over their rivals this season.
The defeat followed a humiliating 7-2 loss to Barcelona in the Champions League, after drawing 1-1 in the first leg.
Hopkinson said the result "hurt" and emphasized its significance, despite refusing to confirm Howe’s long-term future.
"Eddie is our manager," he stated. "We’ve had recent discussions and we’ll assess the situation at the end of the season."
Howe, who signed a long-term deal in 2022, must lead Newcastle into European contention-six points behind sixth-placed Chelsea with seven games remaining.
Appointed in 2021, Howe guided the club to two Champions League qualifications and broke a 70-year trophy drought by winning last season’s League Cup.
Financially, Newcastle reported record annual revenue of £335.3 million ($443 million) for the year ending June 2025, with commercial income up 44% and a post-tax profit of £34.7 million.