Why a loss vs. Man Utd is a good thing for Newcastle United

Could Newcastle United’s 4-1 loss to Manchester United actually help them moving forward?

No matter what level of soccer you are playing or coaching on, you never want to suffer a 4-1 defeat. But, is Newcastle United’s lopsided loss to Man Utd yesterday actually a blessing in disguise? It could be and here is why…

Winning is a powerful deodorant for a lot of issues. Fans and analysts are naturally less likely to be critical or harsh in their analysis if the club wins or even draws. With Newcastle United yesterday, there would have some scattered critiques of Steve Bruce’s tactics by experts if the Magpies had come away with a draw, win, or even a one-goal defeat.

However, a 4-1 loss doesn’t give Bruce that luxury.  He can try the argument that the scoreline was worse than the performance, which may be true in certain aspects. But, you won’t get a free pass when you lose by three goals in the Premier League and you aren’t a low-level side and your opponent isn’t the elite of the elite at the moment.

The criticism for Bruce should be heavy following the defeat. The only time your club could find the back of the net at home against a club that lost 6-1 in their previous outing was by way of an early own goal. Then, you sat them back as you always do. You didn’t put your foot on the gas pedal, but rather you kept it firmly on the brake.

While it would’ve been great to pick up three points and move up to second place or get at least a draw, those results would have been a shield for Bruce to use to deflect criticism. The loss is tough to swallow now, but it may be good for the long-term if Bruce either changes his tactics or gets sacked.