Newcastle United chief executive David Hopkinson says he does not have a stance on the future of head coach Eddie Howe, but the club are “not looking to make a change at the moment”.

Although Newcastle reached the last 16 of the Champions League, and progressed to the semi-finals of the Carabao Cup for a third time in four seasons, this has been a bruising campaign for Howe’s side.

After initially holding their own against Barcelona, Newcastle capitulated at the Nou Camp this month – suffering a 7-2 defeat – before losing 2-1 against bitter rivals Sunderland a few days later.

Howe and his players were booed off by a section of supporters at St James’ Park following the damaging Tyne-Wear derby loss, which has left Newcastle 12th in the Premier League.

But the hierarchy remains behind Howe, who led Newcastle to Champions League qualification in 2023 and 2025, and ended the club’s seven-decade wait to win a major domestic trophy by lifting the EFL Cup last season.

While his backing was hardly unequivocal, this week Hopkinson stressed Newcastle were currently “not having those conversations” about a change of manager.

“I don’t have a stance on his future,” he said. “What I can tell you is that the derby loss hurt.

“We take it seriously. There’s nothing within us that thinks, ‘Well, it’s just three points and on we go’. It has resonated.

“I spent a couple of hours in a one-on-one lunch recently with Eddie and we talked through a multitude of things, including that.

“Eddie is our manager. I expect to have a great run to the end of the season here and we will talk about the future when it’s time.

“Right now, we’re focused on this season’s competition.”