Brentford lost their manager, best two strikers, captain and No 1 keeper yet have flourished this season
Brentford manager Keith Andrews
Brentford manager Keith Andrews instructs his players against Newcastle(Image: CameraSport via Getty Images)
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Embarrassment was teetering towards humiliation. Away day blues turning into a wipe out. Newcastle were hardly united in anything but grief and tears. Howe about it Eddie? What's next?
This season has run downhill quicker than a steamroller with the brake off. Four goals conceded at Liverpool and four days later another three in the first half hour when the opening goal was paramount, meant all was lost. The Carabao Cup surrendered 5-1 on aggregate.
How far have we gone back? Last season at this semi-final stage United clinically took apart Arsenal 2-0 home AND away before dismantling Liverpool at Wembley.
Now we are sliding towards oblivion. A big black hole. We are coming home on Saturday tea-time to face a rejuvenated Brentford in what is United's only home match in an agonising run of seven away out of eight. That is the potential crisis we face unless drastic action works a miracle.
A sell out away end of 5,359 at the Etihad, despite being 2-0 down from the home leg, had to endure a slaughter as did another 50,000 watching back home on telly. Those at the scene of the crime did it with typical Geordie gallows humour, always our defence against ridicule. What will be served up next for all to witness live within SJP?
To some neutrals outside our area Newcastle's fleeting return home is all about Yoane Wissa who went on strike to leave Brentford and will face them for the first time.
However for us it is about the wider picture - how Keith Andrews has sensationally rescued Brentford in his first managerial job and what Howe can do to stop him and right his own violently rocking boat.
In the harsh light of day United have sacrificed the Carabao Cup as holders having been beaten by Man City home and away, must win at Aston Villa to retain an interest in the FA Cup, and are struggling to make up considerable ground in the PL. A depressing domestic outlook right across the board.
All United's summer signings - Woltemade, Thiaw, Wissa, Elanga, Ramsey and Ramsdale - took part at the Etihad without being able to turn the tide as has so often been the case.
True the Magpies did better in the second half when City went for a stroll in the park already 5-0 up and Wembley booked which allowed Elanga to score what was hardly even a consolation.
Admittedly it was a terrific finish after waltzing past two defenders who were standing as still as milk bottles on the step. Nevertheless we all hoped it would increase low confidence . . . until he missed an absolute sitter shortly afterwards.
As much as it hurts an old black-and-white heart it must be said: leaking goals like a colander filled with water and missing as many chances as United did is poor play at both ends of the field. Hardly a recipe for success.
Sadly this is not the team of last season - we haven't got a centre-forward, the defence is giving up goals for fun, and the midfield no longer dominates bristling with intent as it did at Wembley.
We lost Alexander Isak in a transfer window of under-achievement but the Bees were also ripped apart - they lost not only Wissa but their manager Thomas Frank, captain Christian Norgaard, star attraction Bryan Mbeumo, and No 1 keeper Mark Flekken.
As a consequence they were written off labelled relegation fodder under a rookie manager who had been their set piece coach but after beating Aston Villa for the third time this season - away and with only 10 men - Brentford stand proudly seventh top to United's 11th trailing behind the likes of Brentford themselves, Sunderland, Fulham and Everton.
Hardly where our Saudi owners, Howe himself, or the fans expected United to be as late in the season as February.
It is Howe not Andrews who is looking around for answers and finding absolutely none at the moment.
Many questions are being asked . . . were we panicked into paying too much for our two strikers? Did our Saudi owners show complacency letting us face the summer without a director of football or CEO? Should we have bought a couple of defenders during January instead of 'keeping our powder dry?' Are we about to pay the massive price of no trophies and no Europe qualification of any sort?
United of course MUST beat Brentford because, well, every other match right now is away where they are confetti in the wind more often than not blown off course.
Our visitors however take to the highway to great effect - they have won three of their last four away beating Wolves 2-0, Everton 4-2, and Villa 1-0 with their only defeat at Chelsea by 2-0.
Their record up here is pretty poor but that won't worry Andrews who is new to the job and will feel the past was not on his watch. He will smell blood.
Our loss to the Bees down in the smoke last November was a disaster - once again we sacrificed a lead to crash to a 3-1 defeat. Nick Pope went off with concussion and Dan Burn went off after a red card for a second bookable offence playing left-back and targetted for his lack of pace.
Oh, we need Bruno back desperately but he needs help. If United are to head off player unrest among their so-called blue chip performers then there are pressing problems to solve before we even get to the close season. Like trying to rescue this campaign from being a disaster.
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