MANCHESTER, England (Reuters) – Manchester United were crushed 3-0 at home by Newcastle United in the fourth round of the League Cup on Wednesday, as their terrible start to the season took a severe turn for the worse.
Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag appeared stunned when his team was booed off the field on Sunday, and the Dutchman is under severe pressure following their 3-0 defeat against Manchester City at Old Trafford.
“We know it is not good enough,” Ten Hag told Sky Sports. “We have to take responsibility for it, I have to take responsibility for it. We don’t give the performance, I feel sorry for the fans.”
Newcastle led 2-0 at halftime due to goals by Miguel Almiron and Lewis Hall before expanding their lead via Joe Willock to cruise into the quarter-finals in a rematch of this year’s final at Wembley, which Manchester United won 2-0.
Newcastle seized the lead in the 28th minute when Almiron scored after Tino Livramento recovered the ball and put up the Paraguayan, who slotted the ball past keeper Andre Onana.
Eight minutes later, Hall doubled the advantage by volleying into the far corner after a bad clearance, and the anguish for the home audience was compounded when Willock cut past the defense and tucked his effort into the bottom corner at the hour mark.
“I think the spirit of the group just showed in the performance, the togetherness, the unity,” Magpies manager Eddie Howe said.
“This is a really tough place to come and to score the goals we did at the times we did and just the manner of the performance really pleased me.”
Manchester United have now lost eight of their past fifteen games in all competitions, including five of their first ten at home for the first time since 1930-31. For the first time in club history, they have lost five of their first ten Premier League games.
