Newcastle United chief aims cheeky Manchester United dig amid Erik ten Hag comments

Darren Eales has told Newcastle United to be “annoying” in what appears to be a cheeky response to Erik ten Hag’s recent comments. The Manchester United boss sent that tag the Magpies’ way when speaking ahead of today’s Carabao Cup final on Friday.

When asked what he thought of Newcastle, Ten Hag replied: “I think it’s a great team with a clear philosophy on how they want to play the game, with intensity.

“They do really well, they’re an annoying team to play against so we have to find a way to win. They try to annoy you, so we have to make sure we play our game and focus on our game. It was a good feeling (to beat Barcelona). We were really together and it was good. (It was a) great opponent, one of the best teams in Europe, a typical way of play and if you can beat them it’s great.

“Sunday is a challenge again, totally different, but it is also great to play them, to find a way to play against different styles, different systems, and of course you want to beat them, to find a good blend and strategy to beat opponents.”

When it was suggested Newcastle are “annoying” for their time-wasting, Ten Hag said: “Yeah. For instance, so if you see from the FA, the referees want to play an effective time. They have the lowest in the league and they are quite successful with it.

“So it’s up to us that we get speed in the game and we are also then dependent on the refereeing as well.”

Newcastle fans laughed off ten Hag’s comments and accused the Dutchman of playing mind games ahead of their meeting at Wembley. They didn’t go unnoticed among the Magpies’ hierarchy, with CEO Eales seemingly referencing it during a speech at a fan event in the capital.

Eales said: “You guys have taken over. On behalf of the club, we say a huge thank you to you guys because you’ve been with the club through thick and thin, and it’s been a lot of thin recently but we’re back lads, I’m telling you!

“This is the start of something special. Your support is unbelievable. This is amazing, we’re raising money for Wor Flags. I want to say thank you to Wor Flags.

“But what I want to do most of all today, let’s be bloody annoying! Let’s annoy them, get a cup. Thank you for the support. This will be the first of many finals.”