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Liverpool Echo
Liverpool Echo
Sport
Stephen Killen

'Difficult one' - Eddie Howe responds to Jurgen Klopp's comment about Newcastle United

Newcastle United manager Eddie Howe has defended his club following the comments made by Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp.

Prior to Liverpool's clash with Manchester City at the weekend, Klopp seemed to claim that as well as the Etihad outfit, his club are also not able to compete with Newcastle and Paris Saint-Germain

"You will not like the answer, and you all have the answer already. Nobody can compete with [Manchester] City," Klopp said when asked what the Reds must do to keep pace with Pep Guardiola's side.

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"You have the best team in the world and you put in the best striker on the market, no matter what it costs, you just do it. I know City will not like it, nobody will like it. You've asked the question but you know the answer.

"What does Liverpool do? We cannot act like them. It is not possible. Not possible. It is just clear and again you know the answer. There are three clubs in world football who can do what they want financially. It's legal and everything, fine, but they can do what they want. They will say, 'yeah, but we have', but it's exactly the fact.

"I heard now that at Newcastle somebody [sporting director Dan Ashworth] said, 'there is no ceiling for this club'. Yes! He is right. He is absolutely right. There is no ceiling for Newcastle. Congratulations, but other clubs have ceilings."

The Magpies recently celebrated the first anniversary of their takeover from the Saudi Arabian Public Investment Fund (PIF). Since they took charge at St James' Park, PIF have splashed out more than £200m in the transfer market.

"It’s a difficult one because it’s probably been used in the wrong way. What Dan meant with his comment was there’s no ceiling to our ambition long term," Howe said, responding on Tuesday to Klopp's claim.

"We have huge plans and want to go to places with huge ambitions, but the reality of what we are working towards and working with, there is a ceiling because of all the things I have sat here and explained every week - Financial Fair Play, we’re still in a training ground that’s being renovated.

"We’re not living that life that is being discussed. We are living a very different reality. Our wage bill is very controlled. We’re trying to do things in a very stable and controlled way.

"Although we have spent money on players, it has not been extravagant or out of sync with the rest of the Premier League. Everyone has to be careful with their comments and opinions."

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