Newcastle United will need to work on their defence next season. Indeed, manager Eddie Howe was keen to quickly point out at that the issues Newcastle needed to fix lay at the back following the culmination of last season’s Premier League campaign. While goals were not much of a problem for Howe’s side last season, there can be little doubt there was a dramatic drop-off defensively. The team who finished level with champions Manchester City as the joint-best defensive outfit in the 2022-23 season then conceded 62 times last time out. That marked a 29-goal swing for Howe’s side, who will also b…