'Uncharacteristic': Eddie Howe pinpoints major contributing factor to Newcastle United defeat to Man City
Newcastle United were, to put it simply, second best last night as they came up against Manchester City at the Etihad Stadium.
The Magpies' dream of retaining the Carabao Cup was hanging by a thread before the game kicked off last night, and it took just seven minutes after the first whistle to effectively end it altogether.
Manchester City raced into a 3-0 lead on the night, 5-0 on aggregate, before the halftime whistle blew. And while the Magpies won the fourth quarter of the tie, scoring the only goal in the second half last night, it was a pretty damning defeat in the end.
While Newcastle were greatly improved in the second half, we can't help but wonder if that was just because Man City had shifted into neutral.
Newcastle were second best everywhere last night - except in the stands
Speaking after the game, Eddie Howe put the defeat down to his players not being good enough in one-on-one duels.
"It was a difficult start to the game, and it was a difficult first half. We knew the first goal would be important, we didn't get it. I don't think it dampened our enthusiasm or our effort to try and get back in the game.
"We didn't defend well enough. We were really disappointed with the first half of the game; that's very uncharacteristic for us. One-v-one duels, we were second best, and i think wehenever you're playing a team of this quality and you're not really good in your duels and your one-v-one battles, it's going to be a long afternoon."
If it's not fatigue, what is it?
Newcastle were second-best in every area of the pitch, especially in that first half. It just looked like a kick about around cones for Man City far too often.
Howe went on to downplay the effect of fatigue on his players in that interview, but honestly, that excuse is an open goal right now and he didn't use it, which leaves us to wonder, if it's not fatigue, what is it?
If his players aren't fatigued then there's a far bigger problem. It can only be mentality. And nothing summed that up more than Anthony Gordon giving up in the first half. That 'hamstring injury' looked very suspicious to us. He seemed pretty fine when he walked off. What's the bets he makes a miraculous recovery in time to face Qarabag?
