On Boxing Day, Newcastle United disappointed the fans who had made the trip across to Old Trafford with a dismal 1-0 defeat to Man United.
It was yet another loss on the road for Newcastle as their away day hoodoo continued. Supporters have every right to be fed up of seeing their team lose whenever they’re not at St. James’ Park.
How many points will Newcastle get here?
Surely anything less than 12 points would be unacceptable… 👀
Beating Burnley at Turf Moor for the final game of the year will help to wash away the sour taste of that Old Trafford defeat. But, it’s hard not to be frustrated at the fact Newcastle and Eddie Howe seem to have gone backwards this season.
Indeed, if we rewind the clock just one year into the past, we can see the most obvious mark of just how little progress has been made by the team.
- READ MORE: Newcastle United insider sends firm message over Eddie Howe’s future after internal discussions
Newcastle United inflicted rare defeat on Man U last year
On 30 December, 2024, Newcastle recorded a 2-0 win away at Manchester United. Goals from Alexander Isak and Joelinton were enough to grab all three points for the Magpies on the day.
It was a special result in the grand scheme of things, too. In fact, it was only the second time Newcastle had won at Old Trafford (in a league game) since 1972.
For Man United, it was also the first time in 45 years that they had lost three games in a row at home. The fact that Newcastle blew the Red Devils away was a really big deal.
What’s interesting is that result was a bit of a turning point for Newcastle, too. They had not had the most resounding season up to that point, but a great second half of the campaign led to one of the most successful seasons in the club’s history.
- READ MORE: Underrated Newcastle United signing in 1999 is the blueprint Eddie Howe should follow for January
Finish this sentence, the worst thing about Newcastle’s loss to Man United was _
That result is complete contrast to recent Old Trafford display
The fact that almost exactly one year to the day later Newcastle stumbled to a defeat against United at Old Trafford speaks volumes for where the team is at right now.
Not only was the result not what anyone wanted, the performance was poor, too. Within 12 months, Newcastle have gone from a team capable of spoiling the party for any side, to being a real pushover on their travels.
There’s still time for Howe to turn things around, of course, but he needs his team to get back to the levels they were showing at this time last year, and fast.
Sign up to TalkingPoints for free to join the conversation about all things Newcastle United with Geordie Boot Boys!