Eddie Howe has confessed he might not remain in the Newcastle hot seat long enough to witness the club's unveiling of either a revamped stadium or enhanced training facilities.

Merely 12 months ago, the Magpies appeared miles ahead of Boxing Day rivals Manchester United, yet now find themselves trailing the Red Devils in the Premier League standings and could fall six points adrift should they stumble at Old Trafford.

New boardroom chief David Hopkinson has set his sights on propelling Newcastle into the elite tier by 2030, though the Tyneside outfit may well begin 2026 languishing in the league's lower reaches.

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Chief executive Hopkinson cautioned this month that Newcastle will remain at St James' Park in its present state for "years to come" whilst enhancement work continues at their existing Benton training headquarters. Renovation plans for the club's neighbouring Academy facilities are already in motion.

However, Howe, who has managed just six victories from 17 fixtures this season, offered a sobering glimpse into his long-term prospects before the crucial encounter at United.

When quizzed about the club's communication with supporters regarding stadium relocation and facility upgrades - with Saudi backers PIF still unable to finalise new ground proposals five years post-takeover - a frank Howe, despite having at least three years remaining on his deal, remarked: "It (messaging) is important, but there are other things that are important - it has to be right.

"If there is extra time taken to make the right decisions, and I'm not across the day-to-day decision-making process, so the stadium project is correct and it's the right one for Newcastle for however many years the club are there, then take the extra time.

"It's the same with the training ground. You need the right site and designs. I would rather it was correct than rushed. I know there's a 99.9 per cent chance that I'm not going to see either in my position, but I'm still passionate about making sure it's there for the future generations of Newcastle, whether that's supporters or players.

"The board recognise how important that is too. So I think the ambition and drive is there to do it and work is going on behind the scenes. There just needs to be a bit of patience to make sure it's the right solution for everybody."

Howe went on to describe the club's long-term vision on Tyneside as being stuck in "limbo". The manager explained: "Fundamentally, looking at the club with a broader view, you look at the training ground, stadium, that part of the club is in limbo at the moment.

"In terms of which direction the club is going to take, that would be a big step forward to get clarity on that and to take everything into the future in a really positive way, it would have a game-changing effect on everything.

"I am also talking about the academy in that. The brilliant work that goes on down there, if we can move everything forward in terms of facilities, not that I believe facilities are the be all and end all, they are a great way of setting standards higher and showing your ambition in a clear and strong way.

"That would be a game-changer when that happens. The ambition is there from everyone to make that happen.

"In terms of the team, I think the way we play is key. If we can really work on our identity and clarity of our vision, I and the coaching staff, work on what we believe and ultimately end up a successful period at Newcastle.

"We have to work on that like we do every day with really strong resolve, and the players are left in no uncertain terms what we expect. I think we will be a better team for that."

As Newcastle gear up to bid farewell to 2025, they'll do so with silverware proudly displayed in the St James' Park trophy room after breaking their 70-year barren spell. Their European Cup ambitions remain alive and kicking as spring approaches.

Howe refused to let negativity overshadow what has been a remarkable year, explaining: "The last 12 months, I think, as a whole have been unbelievable for us because we finally won a trophy, and when I came here, that was the big aim – after staying in the league – to try to win a trophy.

"Of course, then you look at Champions League qualification, and we're in the middle of that and it's a great experience again to be in the Champions League and we're desperate to stay in the competition.

"Overall, sometimes it's really good to take that bird's eye view of everything. You'd say it's been a great 12 months."

Yet only securing a result at Old Trafford will silence Howe's doubters. Discussing the upcoming clash, Howe commented: "Statistically, they're a lot stronger than last year. They've seen big improvements in their general performances. They've been competitive and, attacking-wise, they have some big threats.

"I think it'll be a really good game, a tough game, for us and a good opportunity at Christmas to enjoy the magnitude of these games. The atmosphere will be special but we haven't played them previously, I think we expect a slightly different Man United."