‘Car crash performance’

Manchester United were dealt a damaging blow by fellow top-four rivals Newcastle United at St James’ Park, as Erik ten Hag’s men were beaten 1-0 thanks to Anthony Gordon’s second-half strike. The Reds were lacklustre throughout the contest in the north-east, with both Marcus Rashford and Anthony Martial substituted just after the hour mark as United sought a way back into the contest. Tino Livramento time and time again caused trouble for Eddie Howe’s side down the left flank, with the Magpies celebrating at the full-time whistle.

United host Chelsea[1] on Wednesday at Old Trafford[2], bidding to bounce back ahead of a busy Christmas[3] period. Still without key men Lisandro Martinez and Casemiro, Ten Hag’s side have endured a busy six-day period after outings against Everton and Galatasaray came before the trip to Tyneside. With plenty of outlets providing their own reaction, scroll down further to see how the national media reacted to a sixth Premier League[4] defeat of the season for United.

Underdog football Andy Brassell, The Guardian As the players finished their handshakes and retreated to their halves ahead of kick-off the familiar strains of Local Hero tumbling from the public address briefly faltered, before starting again from the beginning.

A rewind was exactly what was coming next, with Newcastle and Manchester United[7] reminding us exactly what they are about. Towards the end of normal time in an utterly one-sided match substitute Antony’s shot deflecting in off Harry Maguire (who mercifully for the home side was offside) briefly threatened to taunt the Geordies over a lack of ability to kill an occasion game – the same trait that had improbably robbed them of three points against an ailing, 10-man Liverpool[8] back in late August. Yet anything other than a home win would have been moonlight robbery.

Anthony Gordon celebrates after scoring Newcastle’s winning goal from close range at St James’ Park. Victory comes at a cost Martin Hardy, The Sunday Times

In a corner of St James’ Park, Anthony Gordon was being mobbed by team-mates and a crescendo of noise filled the Tyneside night air. Newcastle United had finally taken the lead from their 19th shot, ten minutes into the second half. Manchester United’s players were waiting for the restart, back in position, and what a picture they painted.

Anthony Martial stood beside the ball at the centre circle with all the enthusiasm of a commuter waiting for an early morning train on a rainy day; Marcus Rashford, so insipid he was substituted seven minutes later, sulked with his hands on his hips; Scott McTominay was clearing his nostrils and Harry Maguire was doing his hair. Not one of them said a word. They had travelled by bus when their flight was cancelled because Manchester Airport[9] had too much snow.

At that point, trailing 1-0 and on a bitterly cold night, they looked like a bunch of day-trippers who wanted to get back on that bus and go home. Newcastle moved above Manchester United in victory, to fifth place, and the mystery was how they started the day behind them. Since that Cup final loss in February the sides have met three times and Newcastle have won every one without conceding a goal.

There is a burgeoning rivalry building between these two Uniteds once more — Ten Hag’s winning the League Cup[10] final last -season allied to Howe’s anger at Ten Hag’s public criticism for gamesmanship. It is not quite the mid- 90s, neither side is a title winner, at least not yet, but the decision of Harry Maguire to make Newcastle kick towards the Gallowgate End in the first half brought memories of the famous clash between the two sides here in 1996. United in a mess

Craig Hope, The Daily Mail Manchester United were forced to travel here by bus. They duly attempted to park it in their own penalty area, left it in reverse and, come the end, were sifting through the wreckage of a car-crash performance that shows how far down the road they are behind the other United, the one of Newcastle, who were magnificent and warmed the soul of their supporters on a sub-zero evening.

For this was a one-zero annihilation, the narrowest of scorelines but proof of the ever-widening gap between the teams.

Remarkably, only this victory – thanks to the excellent Gordon’s second-half strike – took Howe’s team above their visitors in the Premier League.

Now, for the first time in more than a century, Newcastle have beaten Man United in three straight games.

References

1. ^ Chelsea (www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk)
2. ^ Old Trafford (www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk)
3. ^ Christmas (www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk)
4. ^ Premier League (www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk)
5. ^ ‘Takes after his dad’ – Man United fans all make same Charlie Savage point after crunching FA Cup tackle (www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk)
6. ^ United substitution vs Newcastle summed up failings on and off the pitch (www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk)
7. ^ Manchester United (www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk)
8. ^ Liverpool (www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk)
9. ^ Manchester Airport (www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk)
10. ^ League Cup (www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk)