Newcastle boss Eddie Howe believes Erik ten Hag has been trying "mind games" ahead of Sunday's clash.
Newcastle host Manchester United on Sunday and Ten Hag has complained about Howe's "timewasting" tactics.
"First and foremost, we want to be a good football team," he said on Friday.
Asked if Ten Hag's original words were some good old-fashioned mind games, Howe replied: "Possibly.
"I can't speak for how they [managers] are preparing their teams and what they are saying in the media. Certainly I think it [game management] has been overblown."
