EDDIE Howe is excited by the "good feeling" at Newcastle United and says the scenes at full-time on the St James' Park pitch on Saturday was evidence the club is heading in the right direction - regardless of how the final week of the season plays out.

Chairman Yasir Al-Rumayyan jetted into the North East this week and after boardroom talks in recent days joined the players and staff on the pitch - along with Amanda Staveley and Jamie Reuben - for the lap of appreciation after the 1-1 draw with Brighton.

Players, staff and their families posed for a picture on the pitch, while Al-Rumayyan spoke to stars Bruno Guimaraes and Alexander Isak.

Howe is determined to finish the season on a high with the two wins that would guarantee European football next season, but regardless of how the coming week plays out the head coach says everyone at the club is pulling in the same direction.

“The big thing on that is you want the club to be united, you want the club to be one team and I do feel we've had that since I've been here, so really united," he said.

"The support network from players to staff to owners, I think you can see the relationships we have when they come on to the pitch at the end.

“I think that's really healthy, a chance for everyone to show appreciation for each other, for us to the supporters, the supporters to the players, so I think there's a really good feeling about the club at the moment."

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Howe admitted before the Brighton visit that the final home game of the campaign could prove to be a farewell for some and says it's crucial his squad has been further strengthened by the time the Magpies are next in action at home in August at the start of next term.

He said: "I always hope with every window and every opportunity we become better in every area, a stronger team. How that looks right now, very unclear, I don't know, but that's always the challenge.

"You can't afford to regress at this level, it's all about pushing forward and trying to come back a better team and a better coached team, that's my responsibility. And hopefully with a better playing squad, it's all down to recruitment."