Graeme Souness has backed Newcastle head coach Eddie Howe to be handed the Premier League Manager of the Year award.

While he can see why some would back Manchester City’s Pep Guardiola or Arsenal’s Mikel Arteta, Souness thinks Howe is more than deserving of the accolade:

“Is it a surprise if City win the league? If [Mikel] Arteta were to win it, there would be an argument for him to win the manager of the year but, say Arsenal don’t win it and City win it, there’s a real argument for Eddie Howe at Newcastle.”

“You think of what he’s done to Almiron, Joelinton. You’re thinking, ‘The Premier League is too tough for you. You better find another home.’ He’s turned them into real Premier League players. He’s done very well.”

Some outside the club may claim that Howe has been backed massively in the transfer market by Newcastle’s owners, but that is far from the full picture.

PIF  have been careful to stay within Financial Fair Play regulations so Howe has not really spent his way to success. The real secret behind the team’s form this season is down to the improvement in players who were already at the club.

As Souness points out, the likes of Joelinton and Miguel Almiron have looked like completely different players, as have others, including Joe Willock, Sean Longstaff and Jacob Murphy. All the credit for that has to go to Howe and his backroom staff.