WHAT NEWCASTLE UNITED FANS CHANTED DURING MAN CITY LOSS AS EDDIE HOWE SENDS ‘TROUBLE’ MESSAGE

“Tell me ma, me ma. I won’t be home for tea. We’re going to Wembley, tell me ma, me ma.”
It is a chant you will feel from those of a black and white persuasion all the way up until March 16 as Carabao Cup final fever continues to grip the Newcastle United fanbase. It was one tune of many wheeled out at the Etihad Stadium on Saturday afternoon as the Magpies suffered a dismal defeat at one of their least favoureed stomping grounds.
With 12 minutes of normal time remaining, and their side trailing 3-0 courtesy of an Omar Marmoush hat-trick, the away end burst into the famous rendition of ‘Que Sera, Sera’ as they looked for a positive and welcomed distraction to what was unfolding in front of them.
But while fans should take great pleasure in the fact their team have made it all the way once again, it really cannot become a distraction for this crop of players who have plenty of work to do in the Premier League and the FA Cup before the Wembley showpiece on March 16. After all, we all remember what happened to Newcastle’s form the last time they were in this position.
In the build up to the 2023 Carabao Cup final, where the clash with Manchester United seemed to overshadow the weeks leading up to it, Newcastle dropped out of the top four shortly before the Wembley trip, dropping points against both West Ham United and Bournemouth before losing 2-0 to Liverpool at St James’ Park days before making the trip to the capital.
Eddie Howe has already made it clear he is certainly not focused on next month’s chance to avenge 2023 – and he will be drilling that particular message into his players too. After all, despite their disappointing showing on Saturday afternoon, Newcastle are firmly in the hunt for a top four finish and have some crucial top flight games on the horizon before they meet Liverpool in this year’s final.
Next up it is European-chasing rivals Nottingham Forest, before a trip to Anfield, Brighton at home in the FA Cup and a tough trip down to West Ham United. The 4-0 reversal at the Etihad Stadium is a reminder that Newcastle must remain fully focused on the next game – as Howe often stresses – rather than letting their attention drift to one month today.
“If that is the case, then we are in trouble,” was Howe’s response to post-match questions around whether his Newcastle squad are possibly thinking about the upcoming cup final. “Our Premier League season will be over really by the time that game comes around. It can’t be the focus.
“It is on the horizon it should be a positive not a negative distraction. I would encourage the players to look at it that way, we have to go back to work, the work is the Premier League the day in and day out stuff.
“We have to perform better. That is three of our last four performances in the Premier League that haven’t been good enough. They have all had similar traits in them (Forest, Bournemouth and Man City), so back to basics for us..”