Newcastle captain Bruno Guimaraes dedicated their dominant victory over Manchester United to manager Eddie Howe, who is unwell.
The Newcastle boss watched the game from a hospital bed as his team surged up to fourth place in their quest for a Champions League spot.
Guimaraes, who scored in the convincing win, said, “When we went onto the pitch, we said, ‘We’ll play for him’.”
“He’s been incredible for us. We felt his absence in training.”
“Hopefully, this victory brought him joy and he will be back for the next game. It’s been a difficult week for him.”
Harvey Barnes, who scored two goals, commented, “He is recovering, 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 bring a smile to his face.”
Howe, 47, was admitted to hospital on Friday, leading his assistant, Jason Tindall, to take charge against United on Sunday.
The top five positions in the league this season guarantee a Champions League spot, and Newcastle started strongly.
Sandro Tonali`s opening goal was equalized by Alejandro Garnacho, bringing the score to 1-1 at halftime.
However, Newcastle overwhelmed Manchester United after the break. Barnes` two goals and Guimaraes` goal secured Newcastle`s 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 make him happy.”
“I’m extremely proud of the players. But I`m 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’m really proud.”
When asked if Howe would return for Wednesday’s home game against Crystal Palace, Tindall responded, “Not sure.
“He’ll be in good spirits, and the sooner the manager returns, the better for everyone.”
Tindall, 47, who was Howe’s teammate and then assistant at Bournemouth, added, “He was greatly missed, especially by me.”
“It’s only the second time in 17 years we haven`t been side-by-side, and I did miss him.”
“You miss your leader when he’s not present. But it’s a testament to everyone that they were able to step up and fill those big shoes.”
“He’s 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 know our expectations and goals, and what we want to achieve.”
“Every game is crucial, especially as we reach the final stage of the season, so it’s important we deliver performances.”
