With six games remaining in the Premier League season, Newcastle United finds itself in 14th place, a far cry from last season's thrilling top-four finish. This dip in form has inevitably sparked debate about manager Eddie Howe's future. However, former Magpies defender John Anderson has come out strongly in support of the man in the dugout.

Speaking on BBC Radio Newcastle, Anderson offered a staunch defense, arguing that no other manager could have matched Howe's achievements since his arrival. "I don't care who the manager would have been," Anderson stated. "All these named managers and great managers... do I think any of them could have come in and done a better job than what Eddie Howe has done in the time he's been here? No, I don't think so."

Anderson acknowledges the current challenges, with a return to the Champions League now impossible and European qualification of any kind a significant hurdle. He recognizes that football is a results-driven business where recent form often overshadows past glory. Yet, he firmly believes Howe has earned the right to continue the project he started.

"I think he deserves another go at it, I really do," Anderson asserted. He suggests the club needs a "refresh" this summer, hinting at a potentially busy transfer window to reinvigorate the squad. For Anderson, the upcoming review at season's end should conclude with faith in the manager who has already engineered one remarkable St. James' Park revival.