Many things can change in a year, but sometimes nothing changes. Ask Eddie Howe - who just had another home win against Manchester United, a result enough to evoke many mixed emotions about Newcastle United's season.
This is probably the sweetest victory. Jacob Ramsey's controversial red card forced the home team to try their best, but William Osula's masterpiece turned this match night into one of the most memorable moments at St James' Park.
The fourth consecutive victory at home against Man United continues to affirm the recent dominance of the "Magpies" in these confrontations. However, the contrast compared to less than a year ago makes Howe ponder.
In April 2025, Newcastle's 4-1 victory over Man United once affirmed their position as one of the most attractive teams in the Premier League. At that time, coach Howe's team was very close to a ticket back to the Champions League and finished the season in fifth place.
But by March 2026, although the victory over Man United brought great hope to fans at home, Newcastle still only ranked 12th in the rankings, 12 points behind their opponent.
That is a contrast of both joy and sadness for Howe - who has achieved many successes at Tyneside but still clearly feels this season is a step backwards, at least for the time being. And with the possibility that some key players may leave in the summer transfer window, he is facing another major challenge.
However, the English strategist is still one of the best coaches in the league in helping the team create impressive performances. This match is clear proof when Newcastle thoroughly exploits the opponent's weaknesses.
The controversial decisions of the referee almost overshadowed the match. Referee Peter Bankes sent off Jacob Ramsey after saying that this winger pretended to fall to earn a penalty.
Ramsey received a second yellow card for that situation at the end of the first half. However, it was the combination of Howe's tactics and the fighting spirit of Newcastle players that determined the situation.
The home team was motivated when Bruno Fernandes' clumsy foul earned Newcastle a penalty, and Anthony Gordon took advantage of it successfully. However, the "Red Devils" quickly equalized when Casemiro headed in to equalize in the last seconds of the first half.
Screams rang out throughout the stands as the two teams entered the tunnel, with a feeling of injustice overwhelming. Ramsey's red card became even more controversial when this situation was not considered by VAR. This is a detail that would probably have caused more controversy if Osula had not scored the decisive goal.
However, Newcastle did not need to rely on luck. They created most of their chances, including an excellent reflex from Aaron Ramsdale to block Leny Yoro's shot and another save from Joshua Zirkzee's long-range shot.
Newcastle played resiliently in defense, were energetic in midfield and chose a very reasonable counter-attack time. Meanwhile, Man United - despite having a numerical advantage - still had difficulty creating clear chances.
The away team mainly deploys the ball to the two wings and is sometimes overwhelmed in the midfield area. Notably, this is the third match Man United has played with more players in recent times. They once took advantage of this to beat Crystal Palace last week after Maxence Lacroix was sent off.
However, familiar weaknesses continue to be revealed at St James' Park when the midfield lacks fitness and the danger from the two wings is not enough to exploit the numerical advantage.
This is an issue that makes Man United face many difficulties, and also shows the importance of reasonably strengthening the force in the summer transfer window - both in the role of reserve and key positions in the squad.
Although winning 19 points in 8 matches since Carrick returned to lead the team is a positive sign, Man United still has many problems to solve. Before that, they had lifeless performances against West Ham, Everton and Crystal Palace.
Finally, Newcastle took advantage of the opponent's inability to find a decisive goal. Osula chose the perfect time to shine when receiving the ball in a counter-attack, dribbling the ball from the right wing into the center before unleashing a beautiful shot into the far corner, making goalkeeper Lammens completely helpless.
That goal reminds everyone of what Howe could do with Newcastle, but also raises regrets about how their season has been until now, although there is still time to improve.
With Man United, that moment pulled them back to reality. They have made significant progress, but once again, the match night at St James' Park showed that the "Red Devils" still have a lot of work to do if Old Trafford wants to build a team capable of competing for major titles.
