PRE-MATCH | Newcastle vs. Man United -- 2024/25 English Premier League - video Dailymotion

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00:00In hospital at this moment in time, without prying too much into his obvious private medical history,

00:05what are you able to tell us is the latest situation and how he's doing?

00:09Obviously he's not been well this week and he was admitted into hospital on Friday evening.

00:15So, you know, everybody obviously wishes him the best and I'm sure he'll be back with us again soon.

00:21Is he able or has he been able to have any input into the build-up to today's game

00:26and will he have any input into the match as it unfolds?

00:29I think when you've been ill all week, it's very difficult to have the kind of input that I'm sure he would normally have.

00:37But with the way we work, we know the expectations.

00:40We've got a fantastic group of players, they know the expectations and the demands

00:43that the manager and everybody else will put on them.

00:47So it's important that they go out and deliver the performance that the manager will be proud of.

00:52The week started very well for you at Leicester.

00:54You now have two huge home games.

00:56The target quite clearly is to secure Champions League football.

01:00How big is the magnitude of what lies ahead of you starting today?

01:05Yeah, of course, we've had a good week, so to say.

01:08You know, a really positive result away at Leicester.

01:11We know the expectations, we know our goals, we know what we're trying to achieve.

01:15And every game is so important, especially when you come into the money end of the season, as they say.

01:19Only eight games remaining, so it's important we deliver a performance that hopefully helps us and takes us one step closer to our goal.

01:26Jason, I appreciate it. Please send our best to Eddie and his family.

01:28Will do. Thanks very much.

01:32Roy, as far as Eddie Howe's absence is concerned, does that make a difference, do you think, on match day?

01:37I understand in the week, if he's not there, it makes a difference.

01:40But in this moment?

01:41Yeah, I think it does. I know they've got a lot of momentum at the club at the moment.

01:44They feel good factors there, and they're playing a United team that aren't obviously great at the moment.

01:48But you certainly feel your manager not being there.

01:50But they're an experienced group of players.

01:52Obviously, he's got some staff there who are vastly experienced.

01:55So you hope the players and the staff can get the job done.

01:58But it is a loss to him.

02:00Obviously, fingers crossed, hopefully he's OK.

02:03But you certainly would prefer your manager to be in the top club, no doubt about that.

02:08Les, from one Newcastle striker to another, thoughts on Alexander Isak,

02:12who's started well at Newcastle, but this season seems to be the one that he's really come into his own.

02:17Yeah, you know, I've said on numerous occasions now, for me, one of the best strikers in Europe at the moment,

02:22and obviously being courted by a lot of people.

02:25And I say take that as a compliment, because if you've got one of the best people, you're going to want him.

02:29I like his movement. I like the fact that he can hold the ball up, bring other people into the game.

02:36And he's got that most important ingredient, he scores goals.

02:39And for me, that's what's needed here.

02:42And that's why he's been courted after and he's spoken about so highly here.

02:46Consistency has been the watchword for Eddie Howe in terms of team selection at Newcastle.

02:50But plenty of changes, as we mentioned earlier, for Ruben Amarin.

02:54Five of them being made today, including that big one in terms of Andre Onana

02:58dropping out of the squad by India and making that debut.

03:02And then they've got young Harry Amass making his first start in any competition for Manchester United.

03:07So big changes from him. Let's hear from Ruben Amarin with David Craig.

03:12Ruben, we must start with your team news today.

03:15You said that obviously you were having to look at making changes with what's coming up on Thursday.

03:20But the big change that people will focus on is in goal.

03:24No Andre Onana in the squad today.

03:26Was that a decision that you would have had to have made anyway with these recent issues rather than just on a rotational situation?

03:35No, of course you have to see the context.

03:38But it's a normal thing.

03:39Sometimes you have to push the player to play again.

03:42Sometimes you have to let them disconnect a little bit.

03:45But tomorrow he's going to be in training to prepare the next one.

03:48So I felt that was a good time for Andre to disconnect.

03:53It's been a difficult time for him on and off the pitch.

03:56How has he taken the news?

03:58I think it was OK because I explained and then you don't need to like, but you understand because I explained every situation.

04:08So it was a normal situation.

04:10You have to manage everything.

04:11Sometimes people just look at the physical aspect.

04:14The mental aspect is really, really important.

04:16And it's just one game.

04:17So we will give an opportunity to Altai because he deserves it also.

04:20And then, again, tomorrow is a new life and we will prepare the next one.

04:26Two big moments for Manchester United players today.

04:29Altai Bendia, first Premier League start.

04:31Harry Amas, first Premier League start.

04:35What confidence do you have in both of those players, particularly young Harry Amas, just 18 years of age?

04:40I think he's doing the right things.

04:42I know that is a tough match for him.

04:44But like you said, we have to look at the context.

04:46We need to give opportunities to these young kids to understand and maybe to think in the next season.

04:53Then we have to rest some players.

04:55And Patrick changed completely his life in January.

05:00He's doing all the games.

05:02So sometimes it's hard on him.

05:04And then we think about rotation.

05:06And we want also to have fresh legs in this game because they run a lot.

05:10And we are prepared for it.

05:12Roy, it's always a difficult decision, a more difficult decision, to drop a goalkeeper than it is in an outfield player.

05:19Ruben Amorim has said here it's only for one game.

05:22And that while Andrean Arna might not like it, he understands it.

05:25What's your thoughts, not just on the decision, but on how Amorim's handled this big test of him?

05:30Well, it's not been easy.

05:30Again, your goalkeeper's a huge position.

05:32You'd want to be rotating him.

05:34When this goalkeeper's had an opportunity, I think he played Spurs earlier, he made a mistake himself.

05:38But I think the manager's made it clear here, it's for one game.

05:40And I think that's not a bad idea.

05:41He's hardly going to come up with a new goalkeeper with such a big game coming up later in the week.

05:46But if you're Newcastle's point of view, you're looking at this goalkeeper thinking,

05:49can he get up to speed?

05:50You get some shots away very early on him.

05:52But it's, no, he's a decent keeper.

05:54But I agree, I think it's good to give the keeper a couple of days off, recharge the batteries again, physically and mentally.

06:00And no doubt in my mind, like the manager just said, he would play during the week in Europe.

06:03Because that's a huge game for him.

06:04It is going to be a huge game for Manchester United.

06:07But it's a difficult one to negotiate for a manager, to try and keep the confidence of Ananis

06:12so that he's ready to come back in against Lyon in midweek.

06:15But at the same time, give him a bit of time away.

06:17Yeah, I imagine he would have had a conversation about it.

06:19As the manager said, he might not like the decision.

06:22So in that conversation, he's probably said, no, I want to play.

06:24But he felt this was the best time to arrest him.

06:27No player wants to be dropped.

06:28No player wants anyone to take their position.

06:31But I think he understands it.

06:33He says, you're back in on Monday and we start again.

06:35And as a player, that's what you've got to get on with.

06:37I'm saying that, I think I could do the drill he was just doing.

06:40He's not getting exactly tested, is he, that warm-up.

06:42I could do that myself.

06:43Maybe it's just a bit of confidence building in the early stages.

06:47And in terms of confidence, actually, that's going to be crucial for young Harry Amas,

06:51who's got a real opportunity here.

06:53And Amarim has shown that he is willing or maybe his hand is forced in terms of playing young players.

06:59Yeah, I suppose.

07:00And he's had a taste of it, I think, pre-season.

07:01He's obviously been in and around the first team.

07:03But usually when you give a young player a debut, this nine times out of ten,

07:06it's at home against lesser opposition.

07:08So he's actually throwing them into deep end.

07:10They're coming to a new cast.

07:11They were flying, trying to get in the Champions League on the back of winning the trophy.

07:15So it's a big board of confidence.

07:16So good luck to the kid because he will be tested, no doubt, today.

07:19And that's the problem, Les, isn't it?

07:21You're bringing players in to make, whether it's a full Premier League debut

07:24or, in Amas' case, that a first start in any competition for Manchester United.

07:30And they're asking it to do it against a Newcastle side whose tails are up.

07:33Fire it, Mum.

07:34Yeah, you know, normally you've been in that position

07:36and you want to bring a young player in when the team's playing really well

07:39and so that he comes in.

07:41And even if he doesn't have a good game, at least the team can carry him along.

07:45You know, this Manchester United team's not playing well

07:47and he's coming into what you'd call a struggling team

07:50against one of the better teams in the division at the moment.

07:52So, as you say, you know, good luck to him and, you know,

07:56But I think he was in around the first team.

07:57Well, thank you.

PRE-MATCH | Newcastle vs. Man United -- 2024/25 English Premier League

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