Newcastle United head coach Eddie Howe (left) and Manchester United's Ruben Amorim
Newcastle United head coach Eddie Howe (left) and Manchester United's Ruben Amorim
When Manchester United emerged victorious over Newcastle United in the 2023 Carabao Cup final, there was a general consensus both clubs were on roughly the same footing. After all, the Red Devils would go on to finish that season four points - and one place - clear of Eddie Howe's side.
Fast forward to present day and the landscape certainly looks incredibly different. Erik ten Hag is no more and Ruben Amorim's disastrous tenure at Old Trafford to date has seen the 13-time Premier League champions dumped into 15th-place, the club's worst ever Premier League finish by some distance. Newcastle, who will return to the Champions League next season, will now feel as though they are firmly on the better track just over two short years since their Wembley disappointment at the hands of the Manchester outfit.
Given what has unfolded this season, Manchester United's minority owners, Sir Jim Ratcliffe's INEOS, understandably want to clean house. Remarkably, every single first-team player at Carrington is said to be up for sale in the upcoming window.
Bruno Fernandes is the subject of £100m interest from Saudi Arabia, Alejandro Garnacho looks to have played his final competitive game for the club, academy graduate Kobbie Mainoo could go, Marcus Rashford is no longer wanted, Andre Onana is poised to depart and the likes of Luke Shaw and Manuel Ugarte could follow Victor Lindelof and Christian Eriksen out the door.
Amorim's men look there for the taking. There will be no shortage of suitors for some of that aforementioned talent, especially given how well the likes of Rashford, Aaron Wan-Bissaka, Antony, Scott McTominay and others have performed since being freed of the Old Trafford pressures.
Newcastle, should they desire, could likely take their pick and lure some of those underperforming talents to Tyneside. There is also the likelihood players at Aston Villa and Chelsea will be targeted given the duo's own PSR-induced financial issues.
Those top Premier League sides find themselves in the same position Newcastle did 12 months ago. Back then, Howe was forced to sell Elliot Anderson and Yankuba Minteh in unpopular deals to keep the prospect of points deductions away.
But just weeks ago Howe vowed teams such as Manchester United, Chelsea and Aston Villa will be in their sights as they seek to take advantage of clubs needing quick-fire sales in the next month.
"The PSR deadline plays a huge role for clubs – both those clubs with PSR issues and those without, because those without may potentially look to try to sign players," the Newcastle boss said last month. "They will look to take advantage of other clubs, as clubs did to us last year, quite rightly.
“It’s a really interesting dynamic, and one that we’re really aware of and that we’ll try to use to our advantage if we can."
The next few months promise to be interesting as the likes of Manchester United, Chelsea and Aston Villa plot how to fend off those looming financial issues while remaining competitive in the top flight. Newcastle have no such concerns as they plot how to fully take advantage of their new-found, improved footing.
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