Eddie Howe made one thing clear when he sat down at his first Newcastle United press conference back in November at St James' Park.
Back then he warned that he could offer "no guarantees" when it came to leading the Magpies to Premier League survival.
At the time it could be argued that was a risky - if not honest - strategy from a head coach that arrived on Tyneside still burned by relegation with AFC Bournemouth in 2020.