Does Newcastle's data give Howe a way to explain their downturn in form in PIF meetings?

How and why Newcastle United’s Premier League campaign has proven so disastrous continues to be debated — with Eddie Howe’s culpability a key point of contention.When the head coach speaks in front of the ownership at Matfen Hall in Northumberland on Thursday — a 25-strong delegation from Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund (PIF), Newcastle’s majority stakeholder, led by Yasir Al-Rumayyan, the club chairman, have flown in for annual departmental meetings — he can cite myriad examples of mitigation when it comes to how last summer played out, executive-level churn, the lasting effects of the Alexander Isak saga, and decent showings in knockout competitions.Advertisement