Newcastle oust reigning Carabao Cup champions Manchester United with a disappointing 3-0 loss in the fourth round. The beleaguered Manchester United manager, Erik ten Hag, takes accountability, stating, “We understand it falls short of the mark, and I must shoulder the responsibility.” Pundit Paul Merson observes, “I believe the manager has lost the support of his players.”
Paul Merson expresses concerns that Erik ten Hag may have lost the confidence of the Manchester United squad, following their Carabao Cup exit at Old Trafford. In the fourth-round showdown, which featured a rematch of last season’s finalists, Newcastle netted twice in the opening half, with goals courtesy of Miguel Almiron and Lewis Hall.
Joe Willock extended the lead with a third goal shortly after the hour mark, condemning Erik ten Hag’s team to their eighth defeat in all competitions this season. This marked their second 3-0 loss at home in just four days, following their defeat to Manchester City on Sunday.
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When discussing Manchester United’s performance, Merson expressed his disappointment to Sky Sports, saying, “It was abysmal and lacked quality. Once again, they seemed bereft of ideas. The lack of a clear identity and game plan has been a recurring issue for Manchester United over the past few years.”
“Newcastle made eight changes and United have been beaten 3-0. I personally think the manager has lost the players. There’s ways of losing football matches, and everyone loses matches, but they were completely beaten tonight after going 1-0 down as they were last week [against Manchester City].
“It was just too easy for Newcastle. Tonight, they should’ve been rabbits in headlights going to Old Trafford but they just went out and played.