IAN LADYMAN: It’s dramatic, premature and unfair but it feels like Eddie Howe NEEDS to get Newcastle over the line in the top four race... PLUS, why I’m tipping Arsenal to fall short in their title push

Mark Hughes is doing a fine job in League Two with Bradford City but was once in Eddie Howe’s position as manager of one of the richest football clubs in the world.

Back in 2008, when Sheikh Mansour of Abu Dhabi bought Manchester City, Hughes was in charge and when we met last summer he looked back fondly but also with educated eyes.

‘I should have spent even more on players,’ he laughed. ‘And I should have realised how quickly the club wanted to move.’

The second point was the serious one.