HALLOWEEN MIGHT be over but the Manchester United horror show continues unabated.
Humbled by their neighbours in a derby destruction on Sunday.
Man United were thoroughly beaten by Newcastle at Old Trafford
Man Utd were outfought and outclassed by the visitors for the second time in three days
Newcastle run rings around United all night
Now this.
Beaten at home by as weak a Newcastle team as Eddie Howe has probably fielded in his reign.
The Carabao Cup holders out in the fourth round stage.
Last year’s beaten finalists had their revenge and march on in style.
As with Sunday, the visitors were as good as the home team were bad.
Howe had made eight changes and, yes, Erik ten Hag made seven of his own.
Man Utd started the match against Newcastle with an strange lineup (!)
But look at the two line ups and this is Manchester United that was much the stronger on paper.
The problem is when this lot walk on to grass and are asked to kick an object that looks to be alien to them.
Joe Willock capped of a superb night for the visitors
The second half introduction of Bruno Fernandes could not magic up an answer to Newcastle
Newcastle by comparison play with a joy under Howe that has long been lacking at Old Trafford.
Alejandro Garnacho had run down a blind alley in the opposition’s half and lost possession to Newcastle right back Tino Livramento.
Off he went on a barnstorming run through the centre of the park before feeding the ball into the path of Almiron.
He had Diogo Dalot for company but easily held him off before firing a shot across Andre Onana and in.
How he celebrated too.
Miguel Almiron celebrated wildly with his opening goal
Eddie Howe’s side play with a joy not seen at Old Trafford for some time
The Stretford End are starting a few too many of these from opponents.
Their side were two down on 36 minutes.
Dalot once more was beaten too easily this time by Joe Willock on the left.
His cross was met by Harry Maguire but the centre-back’s header did not have enough on it.
There was Lewis Hall on the edge of the box to return a low bouncing volley into the bottom right hand corner.
What a way for the 19-year-old on-loan Chelsea player to score his first professional goal.
Not surprisingly the half-time whistle brought the increasingly familiar sound of boos for the home team.
A sound replicated by at the end but by then the stadium was only half full.
Their team full of highly paid internationals had served up more rubbish.
They were disjointed, there was no communication.
‘Newcastle play with a joy that has long been lacking at Old Trafford’
The ball goes forward, sideways, back, then long and possession is conceded.
Ten Hag said after the derby that he will never get this group to play like his Ajax – you don’t say.
They should really have been down to ten men at the break with Hannibal Mejbri flying around with no handbrake.
He got booked for jumping into Sean Longstaff.
The challenge soon after on Emil Krafth as he followed through onto his ankle was even worse, yet he escaped that without punishment.
Where was the experienced head calming the 20-year-old down?
Not surprisingly Ten Hag made changes at the break with the disappointing Casemiro off and Sofyan Amrabat on.
Aaron Wan-Bissaka also made a return from injury as Dalot was spared any further embarrassment.
The rest weren’t as The Magpies flew even further ahead on the hour.
Amrabat was disposed by a fine sliding tackled from Joelinton and Willock picked it up.
All those in red stood off him allowing a clear run to the edge of the area from where he executed a superb low curling finish.
Some home fans decided on an early getaway.
The 7,300 who had travelled down from the North East weren’t moving.
Newcastle fans have seen their team win here once since 1972.
Erik ten Hag and Eddie Howe cast wildly different figures (!)
Reserves brought into the team proved to be worse than the established XI (1)
That was back in 2013 when David Moyes was the manager made to suffer and we all know what happened to him.
Ten Hag made a triple substitution to try and salvage something with Marcus Rashford, Bruno Fernandes and Rasmus Hojlund coming on.
Hojlund was on for Anthony Martial, like for like that one as neither of them can find the net.
At the same time Howe brought on Bruno Guimaraes and Callum Wilson to make them even stronger despite already having posted an unassailable lead.
The Toon fans chanted ‘you’re getting sacked in the morning’ when Ten Hag entered the technical area shortly after the third goal.
A little early, but if this keeps up, he might have to make a difficult decision about his future.
In 15 games this season, that equates to eight losses.
Even the ones they have managed to win have not been at all compelling.
Right now, there are too many people present to wear them in the first place.