Eddie Howe does not look, or behave, like a high-stakes gambler but appearances can deceive. In reality Newcastle’s otherwise rather conservative, invariably measured, manager has constructed such a risk-taking team that he readily agrees it is no coincidence his players have faced more fast breaks than any other Premier League side this season.
“There’s always a reason for these things and certainly our high press will be one of those reasons,” said Howe as he reflected on recent Opta statistics. “We’re always trying to limit the opposition threat; we’re going to have to be careful about it.”
