Kieran Trippier: ‘If you want to be successful you have to be cute. We’ll do everything we can to win’

K ieran Trippier’s eyes light up and a little smile plays around the corners of his mouth. Newcastle’s right-back has just been asked about the “dark arts” or, to put it less euphemistically, the “shithousery” Eddie Howe’s team have become noted for and his response is emphatic.

“I love it,” he says. “The best for me was Atlético Madrid’s Stefan Savic. He used to pull people’s hair, even in training. It was crazy but I love all that. Of course, opposition fans aren’t going to like it but I think it’s good to see. I don’t see why everyone’s kicking off about it: it’s good!”

It is 13 months since Trippier swapped Madrid for Newcastle and a reunion with Howe, a manager he has remained close to since the pair worked together at Burnley more than a decade ago. These days he is Howe’s first lieutenant on the pitch and will not be averse to introducing elements of gamesmanship should it become necessary to disrupt Manchester United’s momentum during Sunday’s Carabao Cup final at Wembley.

The 32-year-old certainly had no objections when the club captain, Jamaal Lascelles, collected two bookings for obstructing opponents at late throw-ins while warming up as a substitute earlier this season.

“I’ve experienced these things a lot in Spain,” explains Trippier. “It’s about when to slow a game down. If the opposition are on top, of course you’ve got to kill the game. You’re not going to allow them to take a quick throw-in and say: ‘Carry on.’ Some teams aren’t happy with us this season but it’s about being clever.

“Of course we’ll use it if we need to on Sunday. Man United have hit form and we’ll do everything we can to win. If you want to be successful, you have to be cute. You have to manage every single game well and at the right