Match of the Day’s pundits were in agreement that a throwback performance from Andy Carroll turned Newcastle’s game against Southampton.
Substitute Andy Carroll was a talisman for United as they changed tactics to go more direct and it unsettled a Southampton side who can feel hard done by as they left Tyneside pointless .
Match of the Day 2 pundit Dion Dublin was impressed by Carroll and fellow substitute Sean Longstaff, who both contributed.
Dublin said: “If it’s not going right, bring on the big man, cause havoc, get it up to him and see what happens. When Andy Carroll came on after 59 minutes he changed the game and it did go long but why bring him on if you’re not going to use him?
“He had a quick word with the skipper (Jonjo Shelvey) and said ‘Get it into the box at every opportunity, I’ll be there to attack everything’. His cross for the goal is a great cross and a very good header from Shelvey.
“Andy Carroll was loving every minute of defending as well, putting his body on the line – Longstaff as well was diving in. His diving tackle in the final few moments, he thought ‘This is my chance’. There was no way Cedric was going to go down that right hand side. Him coming on and Longstaff coming on changed the game.”
Ralph Hussenhutl bemoaned United playing direct to Carroll, complaining they had a “10ft striker” in the late substitute. But MOTD2 pundit Darren Fletcher felt he missed the point.
He said: “Why should everybody play the same way? It wasn’t working for Newcastle and if you’ve got someone who is ‘10 ft tall’ bring him on, hit high balls up to him and be effective. He turned the game around,” he said.
