Newcastle United’s players have experienced a dip in confidence following a series of disappointing results, manager Eddie Howe admitted on Friday. As the Premier League club prepares for a tough away match against title contenders Arsenal, Howe faces additional challenges, including the absence of forward Anthony Gordon due to injury.

The Magpies have suffered four consecutive defeats in all competitions, with three of those losses coming in the Premier League. As a result, Newcastle has slipped to 14th in the standings, effectively diminishing their chances of qualifying for European competition next season. This comes after the club’s successful participation in the Champions League this term.

“We’ve lost a little bit of confidence. I think that was clear against Bournemouth last Saturday. With the recent results we’ve had and how things have unfolded, players aren’t performing at their maximum level. You can see that,” Howe told reporters ahead of the weekend’s fixture.

The manager also acknowledged that some of the club’s key players have been underperforming, which has contributed to the team’s struggles. “We’ve got some very, very good players in the squad who are underperforming, and you can’t put a figure on how much confidence can damage individuals,” Howe said.

Howe’s focus this week has been to support his players, offering them guidance and trying to help them regain their best form. "My job has been to support the players, to help them, hopefully deliver some good work for them, then try and help them figure out how we can get back—both individually and collectively—to our best levels," he added.

However, Howe confirmed that Gordon, who has been in impressive form with 17 goals this season, will not feature in the upcoming match against Arsenal. The forward missed last weekend’s game against Bournemouth and was unable to train this week due to a hip injury. While Howe reassured reporters that Gordon's injury is not serious, he ruled him out of the Arsenal fixture, with hopes for his return in the next match.

“Again, it’s not a serious injury, but he won’t be ready in time for this game. Hopefully, he’ll be back for the next one,” Howe said.

The injury further complicates Howe’s selection dilemmas, particularly up front. Despite being fully fit, Newcastle’s record signing, Nick Woltemade, has been left out of recent starting lineups. Howe explained the difficult decision-making process, noting the strong performances of other forwards like Gordon and Will Osula, who has stepped up and contributed goals in the number nine role.

“It is difficult because our centre forwards have been productive. Anthony Gordon played up front and was scoring as the number nine, and now Will Osula has come in and scored in that position. You have to reward players for what they deliver, and at the moment I’ve gone with a different option to Nick. There’s no problem with his fitness, but when he plays, he has to do the same and try to deliver the goals we need,” Howe said.

Looking ahead to the future, Howe didn’t shy away from acknowledging that poor performances could lead to significant changes in the squad during the summer transfer window. “If the team is not performing, then there will be bigger changes in the summer than previously. You have to react to what you see. That goes on, on a weekly, daily basis behind the scenes,” he warned.

The manager also emphasized that the players have a responsibility to perform at their best, a sentiment that extends to him as well. “I think the players will expect that. There’s a responsibility to try and be at your best, and that falls on me as well to deliver the best I can for the players and the staff. It goes with the territory,” Howe concluded.

With the team under pressure and key players absent, Howe will be hoping for a strong response when they take on Arsenal in what promises to be a challenging fixture. -Reporting by Rohith Nair in Bengaluru; editing by Pritha Sarkar/Reuters