Photo by Ash Donelon/Manchester United via Getty Images
Photo by Ash Donelon/Manchester United via Getty Images
Michael Carrick’s first setback as Man Utd manager arrived against Eddie Howe’s Newcastle, and he must heed Howe’s claim after the game to avoid further setbacks.
Manchester United were punished for their declining performance levels by a buoyant Newcastle side, who always seem to raise their level when they play this fixture.
The 2-1 loss was completely deserved and extremely deflating as Newcastle spent a full half with just ten players.
After the game, Eddie Howe unintentionally told Michael Carrick his biggest challenge at Old Trafford, and it’s one he’ll have to overcome to be successful at the club.
Michael Carrick trying to encourage his players against Newcastle
Photo by ANDY BUCHANAN / AFP via Getty Images
Newcastle United v Manchester United - Premier League
Photo by Robbie Jay Barratt – AMA/Getty Images
Eddie Howe accepts Man Utd is one of the ‘great’ fixtures
Man Utd fans have long theorised that teams treat every game against Man Utd like a cup final, a challenge not faced by any other team.
It’s why United are more prone to upsets, since even a 5% decrease in effort levels is punished by the opponent playing at a 105%.
Howe accepted that to be the case after Newcastle’s 2-1 win against United, saying that his players are more up for it in games against United.
He said: “You’re right, historically that’s always been the case, it’s one of the great fixtures in English football.”
That is a compliment for United because it establishes the club as the marquee game in English football, but it also exposes the challenge facing Carrick on the job.
Howe’s admission reveals Michael Carrick’s challenge
It’s not a coincidence that, regardless of who the manager is, Man Utd are always capable of pulling out a world-class performance against elite teams.
Ruben Amorim and Michael Carrick as Man Utd managers
Ruben Amorim vs Everton and Michael Carrick vs Newcastle as Man Utd managers
In those games, the opposition’s effort is matched by United due to the sense of occasion, which is not the case in other games.
For upstarts like Newcastle, a game against United is like their cup final, where the eyes of the world are watching, so they raise their level.
Mind you, this is the same team that lost to Everton in this very stadium before knocking over United with ten players.
That, right there, is Carrick’s biggest challenge if he hopes to land this job permanently, which is to ensure that the players keep giving their all to match the opposition, regardless of the occasion.
No team has ever won any league title by turning up when they choose, so that’s the mentality United need to start instilling.
The room for error is zero because United effectively play 38 cup finals in a league season. It comes with being the box-office club of English football, regardless of their competitiveness.