Is Howe being overlooked this season?

BBC Sport's chief football news reporter Simon Stone has been answering your questions.

Do you think Eddie Howe's achievements are being overlooked this season? Good chances of European football with what has been a bare bones squad.

Simon replied: It is the way of the modern game that Howe was lauded last season when he got Newcastle into the Champions League, but the same plaudits are not coming his way this season even though his side will probably finish in the top seven and secure some sort of European football.

Funnily enough, if the seasons had been the other way round, people would be talking about what a solid job he has done with steady improvement. Yet, I suspect, given all the injuries he has had, Howe will be privately pretty pleased with how the campaign as a whole has gone.

It is two decades since Newcastle last secured successive top half finishes. Even backed by Saudi PIF, that achievement is worthy of note.