Eddie Howe stands up for Newcastle as Manchester United try to get into referee Attwell's head

Eddie Howe has reiterated that the coverage surrounding Newcastle United's game management tactics has been 'overblown' - only for Manchester United boss Erik ten Hag to highlight those 'delays' once again.

Newcastle welcome Manchester United to St James' Park on Sunday as the two teams face off for the first time since the Carabao Cup final five weeks previously. Ten Hag called Newcastle an 'annoying' side who 'try to annoy you' before Manchester United's 2-0 win under the arch and referenced how no other top-flight outfit had a lower average ball in play time than Newcastle.

Ten Hag even went as far as to say Manchester United would be 'dependent' on referee David Coote to ensure there was speed in the game. These were the sorts of remarks you once associated with Sir Alex Ferguson who, coincidentally, had dinner with ten Hag just a few days before the Wembley showpiece, and the Dutchman has since doubled down on his comments ahead of Sunday's rematch.

READ MORE: Eddie Howe bites back after Manchester United boss Erik ten Hag's 'annoying' Newcastle dig

Ten Hag said that Newcastle's game management was a 'concern' before adding 'we know they delay'. Ten Hag then sent a message to Sunday's referee, Stuart Attwell, when he said the aim of the Premier League was to have a tempo in the game so the officials had to be 'consistent to let the game go' rather than blowing up.

Howe faced the media a few hours before his opposite number made his latest comments, but the Newcastle boss felt the need to stand up for his side as he declared: "First and foremost, we want to be a good football team." So did ten Hag's original words feel like some good old-fashioned mind games?

"Possibly," the Newcastle head coach told reporters. "I can't speak for how they [managers] are preparing their teams and what they are saying in the media. Certainly I think it [game management] has been overblown."

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