VIDEO NASTY HELPING HOWE

EDDIE HOWE did not watch Manchester United lift the Carabao Cup.

Within a few hours of the final whistle, as the emotion and disappointment of Newcastle’s trophy near-miss at Wembley subsided, he was already watching a video of the game to work out why his side lost 2-0, and what they could do better.

Howe admitted that he is an intense boss, who rarely switches off.

He has now viewed the February defeat several times in preparation for today’s game – where a win would haul Newcastle above the Old Trafford giants on goal difference.

Howe revs up for a day’s work with dawn gym sessions, which clears his mind, pumps up his body and gives him a focus ahead of training.

He explained: “It seems to work for me. Fitness and exercise just gets me into a much better frame of mind to attack my work.

“Without it I don’t feel as good, so it’s an important part of my overall regime. I try to lift some weights as well – I know I might not look like it! A bit of cardio in there, too.”

Newcastle go into today’s clash determined to put their Wembley loss right. Howe said: “Whenever you come close to doing something but don’t ultimately get over the line it only intensifies your motivations and desires to achieve that.

“I’m desperate to do it for everyone connected with the club.

“There was disappointment. I’ve had many of them in my career. That night I ended up watching the game back, and you’re just looking for what we could have done differently.

“How could we have won that game? And that’s a normal process for when we don’t achieve what we want to achieve.

“Disappointment is natural but you have to quickly focus on the next challenge.”

LIKELY TEAMS

NEWCASTLE: Pope; Trippier, Schar, Botman, Burn; Longstaff, Guimaraes, Willock; Murphy, Joelinton, Isak.

MAN UNITED: De Gea; Wan-Bissaka, Varane, Martinez, Shaw; Fred, Sabitzer, Fernandes; Rashford, Antony, Weghorst.

I watched the game that night asking how we could have won it