IT'S PAYBACK TYNE

Eddie tells Toon: We owe St James' Park faithful

- BY LEE RYDER

EDDIE HOWE admits Newcastle's players owe their public a derby victory after the disastrous reverse fixture at the Stadium of Light earlier this season.

That day, with Newcastle looking shattered after a Champions League trip to Germany, a Nick Woltemade own goal earned the Wearsiders the North East bragging rights.

It turned the heat up slightly on Howe with some sections of the fanbase and as Newcastle go into this clash on the back of a European exit in Barcelona, their season is very much on the line for the Toon manager and his players.

Putting aside local pride, failure to win would leave the Magpies with it all to do in the remaining Premier League fixtures as they scrap for a Europa League or UEFA Conference League spot.

When pressed on the failure to grasp the occasion last time out against Sunderland, Howe (inset) said:

“I don't think there's any doubt about it.