EPL 2022-23: Shay Given hopes Newcastle draws inspiration from Leicester for title aspirations

EPL 2022-23: Newcastle United has been in phenomenal form, while it upset Leicester City to rise to the second spot on Monday. Meanwhile, Shay Given has hoped that the Magpies draw inspiration from the Foxes to win the title.

Image credit: Getty

Newcastle United is not considered a title-favourite currently. However, having been owned by a Qatar-based investor last year, it would only be a matter of time before the Magpies become a major powerhouse in the transfer market. It would lead them to become a giant side in terms of possessing top stars and, consequently, a top title contender. On Monday, it came up with a resounding performance to thump 13th-placed Leicester City away from home 3-0, thus rising to the second spot in the English Premier League (EPL) table, having played an extra game. Meanwhile, former Irish goalkeeper of the club, Shay Given, feels that the Magpies should draw inspiration from the Foxes to bid for the title.

Articulating to Amazon Prime Video, Given communicated, "Can Newcastle compete to win the league? Leicester did it a few years back. Why can't Newcastle dream of it? Why not?" The Magpies are being managed by Eddie Howe, who has become the third English head coach to win over 20 EPL ties in a calendar year after Kevin Keegan (24 and 23) and Roy Evans (22).

However, Howe is not thinking far ahead and wants his boys to have a short-term focus for now. "Internally, it's [about keeping] expectations in check, not putting unnecessary pressure on ourselves. Let's go into the next game, try to win it, and execute our game plan as we have in previous games. Everyone else, no doubt, will talk and build things up. We can't control it. Let people do it as long as we're internally focused on what we must do to perform well," he guessed, reports FotMob.