The press box in the Milburn Stand is so low behind the dugouts at St James’ Park that you’re practically sat on the bench.
On a freezing night on Tyneside, it offered a fascinating window into the world of Erik ten Hag and his players as they were overrun by a quite stupendous Newcastle side.
You could clearly see the pained expression on Ten Hag’s face as he wandered back and forth from the touchline shaking his head.
There was a furious exchange with Anthony Martial after the Frenchman failed to track back at the end of the first half, and a frosty handshake between the two men when Martial was substituted after the hour mark.
Marcus Rashford wore a miserable expression as he followed Martial off the pitch, casting aside his gloves before he sat down muttering to Sergio Reguilon.
However, there are some things you don’t need to see at close quarters to realise all is not well in the United camp, especially if you are a seasoned pro, and the verdict on United’s lamentable performance here was damning.
‘For me, there are too many bad eggs in that Manchester United team, too many bad attitudes,’ Alan Shearer said on BBC’s Match of the Day.
Jermaine Jenas added on TNT Sports: ‘The body language of a team tells you a lot at times, and there were a few of them that were sending a message to the manager.’
‘Rubbish,’ was Paul Scholes’s opinion for Premier League Productions. ‘There are too many lazy players.’
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer used to tell his back-room staff that ‘this lot are going to get me sacked’ and in the end they did. Many of those players remain at United.
Ten Hag continues to defend his players in public but he is in danger of getting dragged back into crisis, with Chelsea up next on Wednesday.
Some context here. United have won five of their last seven games in the Premier League, and Ten Hag has been nominated for November’s manager of the month award.
Statistically, they were the form team coming into this game. That’s the problem with statistics though. Four of those five wins were by barely-merited one-goal margins against Brentford, Sheffield United, Fulham and Luton.
Statistically, as Ten Hag pointed out on Friday, Andre Onana is the second-best goalkeeper in the top flight. At least the Cameroonian avoided any more costly errors here, three days after he came under fire for his performance against Galatasaray, and on a night when the Newcastle fans were never off his back.
Some more context. This was United’s third tough away game in a week after the win at Everton and midweek draw in Istanbul as they continue to struggle with injuries. Their preparations were also disrupted when the team flight to Tyneside was cancelled and they had to travel by bus.
It wasn’t any easier for Newcastle, though. This was their third game in a week too, including a handsome victory over Chelsea and a painfully unfair draw at Paris Saint-Germain.
They are one of the few clubs with a longer injury list than United this season, and goalkeeper Nick Pope added to it here when he dislocated his shoulder. Eddie Howe played the same team in all three games, yet he got a performance brimming with such energy from his players that it put United to shame for the second time this season. Newcastle overtook Ten Hag’s side in the Premier League table a month after knocking the holders out of the Carabao Cup.
They were severely depleted that night, too. But whichever players Howe selects, Newcastle look slick and well-coached. They play with positivity and responsibility. United looked like a Sunday League pub team after a night out on the Quayside. Anthony Gordon scored the only goal in the 55th minute but there should have been more.
It feels as though Newcastle’s players would walk through fire for their manager. United? Well, Martial and Rashford weren’t the only sinners, even though they were the worst. The players owe their manager a performance.
With Sir Jim Ratcliffe set to pitch up at Old Trafford any day now, this would not be a good moment to leave Ten Hag high and dry.
Zeyabelntz
0
Pub team ? More like primary school team !
buzanost
0
leave ten hag ride his team till that day he will get wat he wants
buzanost
0
is it dat everytime the couch will be the problem yet also ten hag found them there with there mistakes
Vizbceioy
0
Rashford, Antony, martial, lindloef, Maguire, varane, must find their way out
I left Mount, Casemiro, Sancho
Vizbceioy
0
Rashford, Antony, martial, lindloef, Maguire, varane, must find their way out
ttitsareeffinggood
1
Mourinho has been right all along about Pogba, Martial, Rashford etc but they had to force him out. Five years on, United is still United post Fergie era 🤣🤣😂😂
ttitsareeffinggood
0
Blame it on CR7 🤣🤣
duecdmpstz
0
coach out. zero hag is the problem is hating his players meaning hunting for his death i don't know why they have taken long without sacking zero hag
Adeyemi83
0
When are we going to stop talking about sir Ractliff
kutbeklosz
1
You guys you thing Martial can bring change in the game? That guy is lazy please.
Daphoenix23
0
Lazy and entitled players
22ace
0
Newcastle played with POSITIVITY and RESPONSIBILITY While Manchester United played with NEGATIVITY and IRRESPONSIBILITY. USELESS bunch of team!
Just on fat salaries doing nothing and not giving their all on the pitch for the manager and club who pays you handsomely. They are too useless and lazy
DevilishRed
0
absolutely 💯
danacderuy
0
the headline sums up the Club for me & it's been a long time coming too
Daoabdopt
0
the coach is the problem
Daoabdopt
1
bench those big players,and used the academy once who are serious to play ok Mr coach.Used your head,martial,rashford not serious at all stay you keep using them pellestre can play better,bring back Sancho greenwood
Pamadkmort
3
The only coach that fit ManU and that would have changed the club attitude is MOU, but bcos of their laziness, they forced the man out
Livingstone4u
2
Newcastle played with POSITIVITY and RESPONSIBILITY While Manchester United played with NEGATIVITY and IRRESPONSIBILITY. USELESS bunch of team!
wumceilpu
0
I total agree. Man United must investigate the food they are eating cz they don't have energy to run on the pitch.. They are lazy.. Don't blame the Coach or Onana.... Players hv no Energy..... They must hv energy to run all together must have speed...
If these players have Energy to run. am telling you we will see good results.... Look at Arsenal.. they Run ND hv Speed.. foresure they hv good results
Habbclmrs
1
yes
zodakoruy
0
yes players like mctominey, martial,rushford don't deserve to play for man u very lazy players indeed
the must leave stupid players
Alopenu
0
with a wrong choise of captain, what more do you expect
Leave Bruno alone....when Maguire was there it was worst and we win nothing with him as captain. They are talk about some players who are lazy, most especially Martial, Rashford, they don't want to run.
wumceilpu
0
I total agree. Man United must investigate the food they are eating cz they don't have energy to run on the pitch.. They are lazy.. Don't blame the Coach or Onana.... Players hv no Energy..... They must hv energy to run all together must have speed...
Not Abt Captain.. we are talking of lazy.. there is no speed .. in Man U players
paadelmot
2
say it again, they are very lazy players expertialy Ransford...if they don't want to play for United they should leave, lazy players they get paid without good service
Waubcdopsy
0
I total agree. Man United must investigate the food they are eating cz they don't have energy to run on the pitch.. They are lazy.. Don't blame the Coach or Onana.... Players hv no Energy..... They must hv energy to run all together must have speed...
with a wrong choise of captain, what more do you expect
wumceilpu
2
I total agree. Man United must investigate the food they are eating cz they don't have energy to run on the pitch.. They are lazy.. Don't blame the Coach or Onana.... Players hv no Energy..... They must hv energy to run all together must have speed...
Webamorty
1
very bad and lazy players. I think investigations must go into Manchester United players nutrition and general medical team. I don't know the kind of work the team psychologists have been doing since the departure of Sir Alex Ferguson. Man United supporters cannot be subjected to these kind of agony. The trauma we have gone through the past 10 or 11 years is too much. Many of the supporters and fans are contracting heart attacks day in and day outs due to poor performance by the players.
Zihacmnst
3
yes players like mctominey, martial,rushford don't deserve to play for man u very lazy players indeed
P1nkb0y
2
This is very true. These players have had this attitude for years now.
zazeikopsz
0
True
AllEyesOnMe2023
0
Man U & Stuttgart are the only teams in Top 5 leagues that has never draw a match this season. they either win or loose
and United is the worse btwn these 2 teams.
ishti
6
Constant media and social media adulation has made some of them believe that they are film stars and they need to protect their clothes from getting soiled, their faces from getting red. They are spoilt brats.
ATTAH01
3
Man U & Stuttgart are the only teams in Top 5 leagues that has never draw a match this season. they either win or loose