Eddie Howe used Erik ten Hag's words to motivate his Newcastle players to beat Man United

Eddie Howe used a rare but genius tactic to motivate his Newcastle United players ahead of their win over Manchester United last season.

Newcastle hosted the Red Devils on 2 April in a huge clash in the race for top four, with the two sides having already met in the Carabao Cup final at Wembley in February.

Erik ten Hag's side ended a six-year trophy drought courtesy of goals from Casemiro and Marcus Rashford but high-flying Newcastle were out to avenge that defeat at St James' Park.

And footage from the four-part Amazon Prime series 'We Are Newcastle' shows just how Howe got his players up for the occasion.

In the build-up to the game, Ten Hag had branded Newcastle "an annoying team to play against" and a side who "are quite successful at slowing the game down".

Mikel Arteta and Jesse Marsch had also made similar points in the past but Howe elected to use it as fuel to the fire as he deems anger to be a positive emotion.

Addressing his players in the dressing room, he told them, "My final message today. I'm going to do something that I rarely do.

"But I felt upon hearing the comments, I needed to relay it you. So comments from their manager: 'They have the lowest of play time in the league and are quite successful at slowing the game down.

"'It's an annoying team to play against so we have to find a way to play against them. So it's up to us that we get the speed in the game and we also dependant on the refereeing as well.'

"Why am I telling you that? If they want a quick game, coming here, let's f***ing give it to them. Let's blow them away with our running. Let's be intense in every action we do. Let's make it a quick game. Let's go."

Image: Getty

There was a roar amongst the Newcastle players after Howe finished his rousing speech and the pep talk paid dividends.

United simply could not cope with Newcastle's intensity at a lively St James' Park and the Magpies won 2-0 courtesy of goals from Joe Willock and Callum Wilson.

It was one of their best performances in a season where they qualified for the Champions League after 20 years away.

Topics: Eddie Howe, Newcastle United, Manchester United

Josh Lawless

Josh is a sports journalist who specialises in football and wrestling. He has been published by Curzon Ashton FC, Late Tackle, Manchester City FC, The Mirror, Read Man City and Manchester Evening News. He provides coverage of professional wrestling and has interviewed some of the biggest names in the field - including the first UK interview with The Hardy Boyz after their return to WWE. He has never sported a pair of Lonsdale Slip-ons, contrary to reports.

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