Newcastle captain Bruno Guimaraes dedicated his team`s dominant victory over Manchester United to manager Eddie Howe, who is currently in hospital.
The Toon boss watched the game from his hospital bed as his team climbed to fourth place in the Premier League, strengthening their Champions League qualification hopes.
Guimaraes, who scored during the match, stated, “Before the game, we decided to play for him.”
“He has been incredibly important for us. We felt his absence in training.”
“Hopefully, this win brought him joy, and he will be back for our next game. It`s been a challenging week for him.”
Harvey Barnes, who scored twice, commented, “He is recovering well, we hope. He has a huge influence throughout the week.”
“We knew we had a responsibility without him. We said before the game we needed to make him happy.”
Howe, 47, was hospitalized on Friday, leading assistant manager Jason Tindall to take charge against Manchester United.
The top five positions in the league this season guarantee a Champions League spot, and Newcastle made a strong start.
Sandro Tonali`s opening goal was equalized by Alejandro Garnacho, ending the first half at 1-1.
However, Newcastle overwhelmed the Red Devils after halftime, with two goals from Barnes and a goal from Guimaraes securing their first league double over United in 94 years.
Tindall mentioned, “I received a message from Eddie congratulating the team and their performance.”
“He was able to watch the game, and I`m sure this performance will bring a smile to his face.”
“I am extremely proud of the players. But I am not surprised because we have a fantastic group and excellent leaders.”
“When the manager is absent, everyone needs to step up individually and collectively, and we did that. I am very proud.”
When asked if Howe would return for Wednesday`s home game against Crystal Palace, Tindall responded, “Not sure.
“He will be in good spirits, and the sooner the manager returns, the better for everyone.”
Tindall, 47, who was previously Howe`s teammate and then assistant at Bournemouth, added, “He was greatly missed, especially by me.”
“This is only the second time in 17 years that we haven`t been side by side, and I truly missed him.”
“You miss your leader when he`s not around. But it`s a testament to everyone that they were able to fill his big shoes.”
“He is one of the best managers around, and credit goes to everyone for going out and delivering that performance.”
“We`ve had a good week, including a very positive result away at Leicester on Monday.”
“We are aware of our expectations and goals, and what we aim to achieve.”
“Every game is crucial, especially as we approach the crucial final part of the season, so it`s important we perform well.”
