Man Utd goes to Spurs with poor away record, Guardiola wary of Newcastle.

Away we go. Manchester United are back on the road in the Premier League seeking a cure to the travel sickness that blighted their 2022-23 season.

The Reds lost eight times on the road in the top flight last term and it wasn’t just the raw numbers that were a cause for concern.

United were embarrassed at Anfield and crushed by City. The tone was set from the off as Erik ten Hag, in his first away game in charge, saw his team outplayed and outfought at Brentford as the Bees strolled into a four-goal half-time lead.

The humbling left United bottom of the table and without a point. It was a lifeless, listless performance devoid of character and personality.

Whether it be a sulking Cristiano Ronaldo or a shell-shocked Harry Maguire, United were at sixes and sevens - as they would literally be when visiting City and Liverpool later in the campaign. The away record was atrocious yet despite it United secured a top-three finish, a trophy, and Champions League football. If they hadn’t been hamstrung by their own ineptitude perhaps that gap to the summit would have been closer.

As it was United were a distant third, something their manager wants to improve on this term. A starting point would be developing a more robust spine on the road. The manager has made his feelings clear.

“It is one of the aims we have for this season that we have to step up in away games to get more points to bring higher levels because that is the foundation of course for more points,” said Ten Hag, speaking ahead of the game. “So it is often to do with personality. So that is the demand from me for the players that we have to show more personality on the pitch to win such games and to gather more points in away games."

Guardiola vs. Howe

That table of course is meaningless after the two clubs have played just one Premier League game each but according to Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola, it is a sign of things to come.

Guardiola believes that Newcastle United have now ‘arrived to stay’ and are going to be capable of hanging around the upper reaches and competing in the years ahead.

“What a challenge [against Newcastle United].

“All the managers will say, ‘Just give us one more day to prepare, one more day to recover’ but at the same time, I love it. I love that we don’t have [time to] recover.

 “The big teams are defined by how great the challenge is, and this is the one. Even if it is the second game of the season.

“How quick and strong and physical [Newcastle] are will be a real tough test. But this is the challenge. We will go for it.

“They were [a threat] last season.

“A team that qualifies for the Champions League last season and is still there is a really good team.

“And I think as a team, from outside, they make smart decisions.

“[Anthony] Gordon, Harvey Barnes, now Lewis Hall. They buy what they need at that moment and they know exactly what they have to do.

“Eddie Howe has done an incredible job and it’s a pleasure to watch them.

“Newcastle United have arrived to stay.”