SHEFFIELD: Newcastle came close to matching the Premier League's record margin of victory as they thrashed Sheffield United 8-0 at Bramall Lane on Sunday.
Eddie Howe's side ran riot with goals from Sean Longstaff, Dan Burn, Sven Botman, Callum Wilson, Anthony Gordon, Miguel Almiron, Bruno Guimaraes and Alexander Isak.
The biggest winning margin in the Premier League era is 9-0, a score recorded by Manchester United against Ipswich and Southampton in 1995 and 2021 respectively.
Liverpool won 9-0 against Bournemouth last year, while Leicester managed it against Southampton in 2019.
Sheffield United's largest ever league defeat sent the Blades to the bottom of the Premier League table.
With just one point from their first six games back in the English top flight, Paul Heckingbottom's future as manager is now in doubt.
"The first-half goals we conceded were really poor, but it's the second half I'm upset with," said Heckingbottom.
"The errors that led to goals, a lot of things I'd never seen before, and there's certain things that aren't acceptable."
Newcastle had lost three of their opening five league games of the season to dampen expectations that the Saudi-backed Magpies could challenge for the title.
Howe's men had been in the Champions League for the first time in 20 years on Tuesday as they played out a 0-0 draw away to AC Milan.
But Newcastle showed no signs of fatigue and they exhibited their strength in depth as they became the first side in Premier League history to have eight different scorers in one match, not including own goals.
"I thought we were really good, and once the goals came the confidence returned," said Howe.
"What a response from the players in the past week."
Sheffield United had started the game brightly at an emotional Bramall Lane as tributes were paid to Maddy Cusack.
The 27-year-old, who was the longest-serving player in the club's women's side and also worked in the club's commercial department, died earlier this week.
However, the hosts fell apart as Newcastle struck three times in a 14-minute spell.
Longstaff swept home Gordon's cross before centre-backs Dan Burn and Sven Botman headed home from Kieran Trippier crosses.
Trippier had a hat-trick of assists shortly after the break as he set up Wilson.
It was 5-0 just after the hour mark when Gordon capped a scintillating display by cutting inside and curling a fine 20-yard shot into the bottom corner.
Almiron's sweet strike found the bottom corner to make it six before Guimaraes converted a loose ball in the area.
Substitute Isak completed the rout by latching on to a loose header from Tom Davies.
Victory lifts Newcastle up to eighth and within five points of the top four.
Newcastle thrash Sheffield United 8-0 in Premier League
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Newcastle thrash Sheffield United 8-0 in Premier League
- Victory lifts Newcastle up to eighth and within five points of the top four
Fletcher focused on Man United’s FA Cup tie, not his future at Old Trafford
- Fletcher revealed his communication has been limited to CEO Omar Berrada and director of football Jason Wilcox
- “I have been focusing on the job in hand, preparing the team for these two games,” Fletcher said
MANCHESTER: Manchester United interim manager Darren Fletcher said he has not spoken with minority owner Jim Ratcliffe about his future as he prepares for what could be his final game in charge against Brighton & Hove Albion in the FA Cup.
The former United midfielder, appointed after Ruben Amorim’s sacking this week, oversaw a 2-2 draw at Burnley on Wednesday.
Fletcher revealed his communication has been limited to CEO Omar Berrada and director of football Jason Wilcox, who handed him the reins for two matches.
“I have not (spoken to Ratcliffe), I speak to Omar and Jason. For me, I have been focusing on the job in hand, preparing the team for these two games. There’s been no thoughts or conversations on my future,” Fletcher told reporters on Friday.
“They have given me full responsibility to take control for these two games. Make my own decisions, lead the team, guide the team and prepare the team, that is what I have been doing.”
’IMPORTANT COMPETITION’
With United not playing in Europe and getting knocked out of the League Cup early this season, Fletcher sees the FA Cup as their last realistic shot at silverware in a competition they won in 2024 under Erik Ten Hag.
“It’s an important competition. Manchester United are about winning trophies and I think we’ve had good success in the competition in recent years,” he said.
“We won it a couple of years ago and lost in the final (in 2023). It’s an amazing competition, it’s the first trophy I won as a player. It’s a special tournament.
“With the season so far, not in Europe, out of the League Cup, the FA Cup is a trophy we should be vying to win and giving ourselves every opportunity to win.”
Fletcher will not have reinforcements for Sunday’s third-round clash, however, with Noussair Mazraoui, Bryan Mbeumo and Amad Diallo still away at the Africa Cup of Nations.
“It’s too close a turnaround. So we’ll have the same players available we had against Burnley, no new additions,” he said.
’AMAZING ACADEMY’
The squad shortage has forced United to name several academy players on the bench in recent games, but Fletcher defended the club’s tradition of blooding youngsters despite their inexperience.
“I think historically this club is built around the academy, we’ve got an amazing academy, our record speaks for itself,” Fletcher said. “We have some amazing players with some amazing talent. What I see is a lot of hard work, humble, young players who aren’t perfect because they’re young and learning.
“We ask too much of young people in society at times and in general. We have to let them learn, educate them, help them understand they will make mistakes. With good guidance, all of us play a part in developing them to be Manchester United players and people.”
Fletcher said midfielder Kobbie Mainoo was “in a good place” and training well after struggling for game time under Amorim while no decision has been made on defender Harry Maguire after his return from injury.
