Past Scorelines Won’t Win This One: Howe Quietly Plans for United at Old Trafford

Pre-Match Perspective

Newcastle United head coach Eddie Howe says their solid record against Manchester United “doesn’t mean anything” ahead of Friday’s Premier League clash at Old Trafford.

Newcastle have won five of their last six meetings across all competitions and four of their last five league games with United since their 2-0 loss in the 2023 League Cup final.

When asked if Wembley’s defeat marked a turning point, Howe replied, “I don’t know.” He added it was painful, but he tries to treat every opponent honestly, studying each team’s strengths and weaknesses.

What Newcastle Are Focusing On

“I don’t look at the name or identity of the opponent,” Howe said. “I focus on how we go about the game and try to exploit their weaknesses while protecting our strengths. The process stays the same.”

The former Bournemouth boss noted that Newcastle’s recent results against United were good, but those results don’t guarantee anything in this match.

He added United have grown stronger and were very strong in their last game against Aston Villa, even though they did not win there.

Newcastle finished last season ten places ahead of United, with a 24-point gap, but go into Boxing Day three points behind after Saturday’s 2-2 draw with Chelsea.

Punchline 1: If planning were shooting, Howe’s strategy would be a laser—sharp, precise, and likely to leave the scoreboard blinking.

Punchline 2: And if the result’s tight, I’ll blame the grass; even the pitch has a bias toward drama.