Howe wants positive Newcastle for City cup tie
Eddie Howe does not feel it will be a "bleak" season if Newcastle United drops out of the FA Cup, but he knows the importance of keeping up the positive momentum.
Newcastle kick-started a potentially crucial month by beating Manchester United 2-1 to snap a three-game losing run at home in the Premier League.
The Magpies snatched victory at the death thanks to a stunner from William Osula, with Newcastle having to play much of the game with 10 men after Jacob Ramsey was sent off in the first half.
Howe's team is back on home turf on Sunday (AEDT), but this time the focus is on the FA Cup, as it goes up against Manchester City.
Newcastle has already faced City four times this season, losing both legs of a Carabao Cup semi-final, suffering a 2-1 league defeat away from home, but beating Pep Guardiola's team at St James' Park back in November.
Howe wants to see his team carry the positives from its win over United into this tie.
"Not sure on the word bleak, but that is the world we live in with the highs and lows," Howe said when asked if Newcastle's season rested on progressing in the FA Cup, even though it is still in the UEFA Champions League.
"Positive and negative. I can't look at things that way. We've got a cup tie with City, which is a great game. One of the standout ties.
"We have to be positive from the Manchester United game, let's use that to attack this game and get into the next round."
Newcastle has progressed from nine of its past 10 FA Cup fifth-round ties, although it was beaten 2-1 by Brighton and Hove Albion at this stage last season. Two of those nine fifth-round wins came against Manchester City, in 1994-1995 and 2001-2002.
The only two teams to eliminate the Magpies from both the Carabao Cup and FA Cup in a season are Wimbledon in 1987-1988 and Arsenal in 2007-2008.
This is the 11th FA Cup tie between Newcastle and Man City – the Citizens have progressed from the previous two in the quarter-finals in 2019-2020 and 2023-2024.
"The games have all been close," Howe said of Newcastle's meetings with City this season.
"Games we've won have been close, games lost have generally been close. We have had chances, but not been clinical enough to win those games. We need to be watertight.
"They are difficult to pin down in all moments. We want it to be a proper English cup tie that is end-to-end. That will suit us. Getting the crowd involved will suit us."
