The Magpies have surged up the Premier League table after an excellent run of form recently and the coach is only focused on his team winning - even if it leaves their opponents irritated.

Howe said: "We are here to try to win and ultimately that’s all we are driven for.

"The popular stuff, I don’t really care what happens outside of Newcastle. The perception other teams have of us, it doesn’t really worry me.

"It’s all about us making sure we are happy with who we are and how we are performing."

Newcastle travel to Arsenal in the first leg of their Carabao Cup semi-final on Tuesday (07.01.25) and Howe believes his side have developed massively since losing the final of the same competition to Manchester United two years ago.

He said: "I think our game has evolved – I certainly think we’ve evolved quite a bit tactically since then. The game moves on very quickly in the Premier League."

The Magpies are looking to end a trophy drought that stretches back to 1969 and the coach is aware that winning silverware is essential if the club are to keep their best players.

Howe said: "It would no doubt help us in every respect. But we can’t concern ourself with the outcomes. It’s more, ‘Right, now we have Arsenal'."

Newcastle's transfer ambitions are limited by profitability and sustainability rules and Howe admits that business may have to take precedence over football during this month's transfer window as they did in last summer's market.

He said: "That was very much the business taking over the football, and I think we’re still in that position to a degree."