Newcastle United’s icy dressing room debrief saw no punches pulled as Benton inquest awaits

Eddie Howe, the Newcastle United manager, appeared visibly dejected following his team’s crushing 4-0 defeat against Manchester City. The result left little to the imagination as Omar Marmoush’s remarkable 14-minute hat-trick dismantled Newcastle’s hopes before halftime.

Howe, known for his measured approach, reportedly did not hold back in expressing his dissatisfaction to his players both during and after the match.

At halftime, with his team trailing 3-0, Howe made it clear that the performance fell far below the required standard. Determined to send a message, he substituted Kieran Trippier and Joe Willock, warning the rest of the squad that more changes would follow if the intensity and focus did not improve.

True to his word, Bruno Guimaraes and Anthony Gordon were also withdrawn before the final whistle as Newcastle struggled to find any foothold in the game. The only player to earn any praise from Howe after the match was young Lewis Miley, with the manager emphasizing that the substitutions were not injury-related but performance-driven.

In his post-match press conference, Howe offered a toned-down version of his dressing-room critique. However, his disappointment remained evident. None of the players stopped to speak with the media as they left the stadium, including Dan Burn, who is typically one of the more media-friendly figures in the squad. This silence seemed to reflect the team’s collective frustration and embarrassment.

The squad is now set to review the match at the club’s Benton training ground, where replays of the goals will likely make for uncomfortable viewing. The defensive lapses were glaring, with Fabian Schar and captain Bruno Guimaraes singled out for their lack of urgency during Marmoush’s opening strikes.

Schar, for instance, was still in the opposing half when Marmoush chipped the ball over Martin Dubravka to score. Such moments encapsulated the lack of intensity and focus that plagued Newcastle throughout the match.

Howe admitted that he expected much more from his team. “I expected us to be really competitive, but I don’t think we were,” he said. “Off the ball, in terms of trying to deliver a really competitive, energetic performance, it wasn’t there. We were off on our duels, and then it becomes very difficult because they’re still the best team in the Premier League, maybe the world for me, in the build-up phase.”

He went on to highlight the challenge of facing a side like Manchester City. “With the ball, I think they’re still a very difficult team to play against. They can keep the ball for long periods of time, so it can become a difficult mix if you don’t get that first part right, and we didn’t. Sadly, that led to a disappointing performance.”

Howe also dismissed any notions that fatigue might have contributed to the lackluster display. With no midweek games and many first-team players rested during their FA Cup clash against Birmingham, he expected a sharper performance.

“I’d like to think our players came into the game fresh, ready to perform. But we didn’t,” he stated, underlining his frustration at the team’s failure to rise to the occasion.

The manner of Manchester City’s opening goal particularly frustrated Howe. Goalkeeper Ederson initiated the move with a calm and precise pass, which eventually led to Marmoush’s first goal. Reflecting on this, Howe said, “The first goal in any game is key, and the way we gave it away was disappointing. Then you are chasing the game.”

He acknowledged that chasing a game against a team of City’s caliber is an almost impossible task. “They are such a difficult team to play against when you are chasing a game,” he explained. “But we don’t do ourselves any favors a little bit later in the match. We put ourselves in that position. Then it was very difficult from then onwards.”

Howe’s candid assessment signals a clear message to his players: performances like the one at the Etihad Stadium will not be tolerated. With the team now preparing to analyze their shortcomings, the focus will undoubtedly be on improving their defensive organization, work rate, and overall competitiveness.

For Newcastle, this defeat serves as a harsh reminder of the level required to compete with the best teams in the Premier League, and the squad will need to regroup quickly to ensure they do not lose momentum in their campaign.