TRon

I guess it depends how easy it is to source another PL ready striker as someone we can rotate or use as back up for Isak. I can understand it tbh, even if he's not my cup of tea exactly.

That shot that thundered against the post, I swear you must have been able to hear that at both ends of the ground.

That extended interview didn't help. He's cool as fuck, confidence bordering on being cocky. If you were a fan of any other team why wouldn't you want him?

One of a rare breed of Newcastle bosses to go to Old Trafford and win.

I know that is slightly tongue in cheek, but they did show they can knock it about a bit once Mainoo came on. They lack a killer touch though. Or an Isak.

Murphy has done nothing but offer a body on the right.

That one where he smashed it in only to be ruled out offside would have been one of my favourite finishes in two years.

Not often you'd be unhappy with leading 2-0 at OT at half time, but feels like we should have been 5-0 up at one point. I hope we punish them in the second half.

That cheeky cunt Carragher saying with it being a top 5 Forest might be disappointed if a team like us pips them for that 5th spot, although they'd be honoured to get overhauled by Chelsea, Arsenal or Man City.

No idea what is going on but DCL keeps getting mentioned for some reason.

Bit concerned about Hojlund and Amad. Both have the potential to cause us problems.

If Zirkzee does one over us it won't be because I mocked him on NO.

Brings me much joy and confidence to see Zirkzee in the starting line up for them.

Well, great job of putting a downer on a night I was looking forward to.

The only upside of PIF buying the Falcons is it would show they are in it for the long term as far as Newcastle is concerned. But if they are, then I want them spending every penny on building the football club, don't give a toss about the rugby or cricket.

I think it might have been due to the type of player Tonali is. He loves to give and go, release the ball early into unseen spaces. That's perfect when you are trying to break teams down, maybe Howe was a bit nervous that could lead to losing possession in dangerous areas. It has happened a couple of times tbf, but Tonali is so fast over the ground, he usually limits the damage himself. Plus Bruno is a perfect quarter back type of midfielder. He is very calm at bringing the ball out and resisting the press, so if he's playing deeper, he sees more options. But I think with Tonali his recovery pace is so exceptional, it has overriden everything else. Plus Bruno gets into the penalty area more now as a by product of being further forward.

Imagine the clarts we'd be in if we hadn't recouped a big chunk of the £25m we spent on him when we brought him here. Glad he's doing well at Forest, but also very glad we didn't screw ourselves further PSR wise by holding onto him.

The only thing which would burst the 'corner turned' balloon would be if we took our eye off the ball and gifted early goals like we did following our previous decent run against Liverpool and Arsenal. No one can guarantee results, but if we play with the same shape and intensity of the last few games we'll get at least a point.

If they finish top 5 there's a good chance it will be at our expense. Time for them to start losing.

My only concern is us. If we have bought into the media hype that Man U are dead men walking, then we might have a problem. If it's the same hungry, confident Newcastle team of the last couple of weeks we win.

100%. It's not hindsight either, was saying this last January.

I don't blame everyone for assuming we are going to win, I just don't like it. Just because your managers have managed to get the worst out of every player doesn't mean they are actually shit. If you managed to make Antony look a worse player than Murphy that's on you. Feels ripe for an "upset" this one, where brave Man U will bring down mighty Newcastle in full flight. I swear it feels like we are being set up.

Then press seems to be prepping for a Man U loss here, even their manager is talking about how the stadium will be full of fear every time we get the ball anywhere near their goal. Don't like this at all, feels like we are being set up for an upset of some sort despite their squad having cost far far more than ours.

I think it helps that we seem to have finally clicked on our shape and the players look a lot more confident in what they are doing. There's been a real zip and intensity about our game since the Brentford loss. We look like we could get CL on this form, but I won't get too carried away while we are relying too heavily on Isak staying fit.