‘Nothing has changed’; Howe issues Newcastle warning but reveals how his men downed Brighton

Newcastle boss Eddie Howe insists nobody is getting carried away with the situation despite victory over Brighton giving them an eight-game unbeaten run.

The Magpies looked dead and buried until a 1-1 draw with Manchester United on December 27. That was the catalyst for a sequence of results that has seen them pick up 18 points from a possible 24. New recruits in January have helped and the Tynesiders now sit 14th in the table, with 28 points from 26 games played.

The north-east outfit are seven points above the relegation zone and heading in the right direction. Ryan Fraser and Fabian Schar ensured the hosts were 2-0 up inside 14 minutes.

Lewis Dunk pulled one back 10 minutes after the interval but Newcastle held on to claim the spoils. Howe was delighted with the three points but made it clear his side’s mindset remains unaltered.

“In terms of result, it’s absolutely fantastic for us,” he told Sky Sports. “We said pre-game nothing has changed and that we are still in a relegation fight. We still are.

“I have a lot of respect for Brighton. They are a tough opponent. We knew we would be tactically tested.”

And the former Bournemouth chief explained what his men did well that sent the supporters home happy.

“We showed mental toughness, especially at 2-1,” he added. “When they scored the game was very much in the balance but we handled it well.

Newcastle to give Boubacar Kamara massive wages this summer

Boubacar Kamara is set to leave Marseille this summer after failing to agree new contract with Newcastle set to give 22 year old massive payday

“We defended well and put our bodies on the line and did the nasty stuff really well.”

Howe hails Toon Army

The downbeat atmosphere hanging over the club while Mike Ashley was in charge has now been replaced by optimism. The Saudi-backed takeover means funds will be available to bring in world-class stars.

But Howe knows that fortunes can change quickly if the football gods are not kind.

“To go any length of games unbeaten is good because you are only one match away from a difficult game,” he told BBC Sport. “What we did have to do is defend really well and when it went 2-1 we did that.

“There has been some growth in the team. All I ask is the players give me everything.”

And the 44-year-old expressed his gratitude that the long-suffering Magpies faithful are right behind the players.

“The fans knew the importance of the game and they helped us,” he said. “The atmosphere was incredible. The only disappointing thing for me is we don’t have a game at home now for a few weeks.”

READ MORE: Arsenal rival Newcastle in hunt for €30 million attacker struggling in Spain