Eddie Howe made eight changes to the team that drew at Wolves last weekend, with only Sean Longstaff, Anthony Gordon and Joelinton being retained in the lineup to face Manchester Utd.
And in the absence of Jamaal Lascelles and Kieran Trippier, Longstaff was handed the armband, leading out his boyhood club in front of 8,000 fellow proud Geordies among the 72,000 crowd.
However, the game could not have got off to a worse start for Longstaff and his fellow Geordies when, after only two minutes Matt Targett went down with what seemed like a severe hamstring injury
With five senior players out injured, plus Sandro Tonali ruled out for 10 months due to his gambling ban, this was an injury Newcastle Utd could ill afford.
Howe was forced into the early introduction of Miguel Almiron in place of the unlucky Targett with Joelinton moving into central midfield and the left footed Almiron taking up the Brazilian’s left-wing berth.
Yet despite the changes it was Newcastle who seemed the more settled as they matched up to and surpassed their red devils’ rivals in all departments and with Longstaff and Joelinton leading through example, the red side of Old Trafford were soon showing their displeasure as their team looked pedestrian in comparison to the magpies work rate.
Summer signings Tino Livramento and Lewis Hall were looking particularly dangerous in these early exchanges as they kept Antony and Garnacho busy tracking back as much as they did going forward.
In the 28th minute Livramento again picked off Garnacho with ease and set off on a Crossfield run with the ball that stretched sixty yards, before playing in Almiron with a defence splitting pass that the Paraguayan took in his stride before slotting into the far past the on rushing Onana for the opening goal; a goal Newcastle fully deserved.
On 36 minutes it was 0:2 with some fine Newcastle interplay down the left led to Willock’s chipped cross being cleared by the head of Maguire only as far as Hall who fired home into the same far corner as that found by Almiron eight minutes earlier.
The reds inside Old Trafford were stunned, while the 8,000 travelling Geordies were in wonderland!
Newcastle’s left side was certainly proving to be Man Utd’s Achilles heel and it was no surprise that the beleaguered Ten Hag replaced his right back Diogo Dalot at half-time not only for his failure to track Almiron for the opener but for his general lack of ability to track anybody: be it the Paraguayan or his teammates Hall, Willock Longstaff, Gordon Ritchie or Joelinton. All of whom were enjoying the freedom that Dalot, and his fellow defenders were providing.
Returning Brazilian midfielder Casemiro did not re-appear for the second half either although youngster Mejbri (Hannibal) survived Ten hag’s half time cull despite walking a yellow card tightrope with referee Robert Jones.
Manchester Utd rallied somewhat during the early stages of the second half, but any sign of a comeback was extinguished when the ever-willing Joe Willock picked up a loose ball in midfield before running at the back-peddling red’s defenders before firing into the bottom left corner past a despairing Onana to give his team an unassailable lead.
Both teams then rang the changes with Howe sending on Guimarães and Wilson for Willock and Gordon respectively while Ten Hag called upon Højlund, Rashford and Fernandes in the hope of injecting some passion and quality into his despondent team. But by the time Howe offered a run out to Trippier and Burn in place of Hall and Ritchie any hope of quality and passion had evaporated just like the Old Trafford crowd as the rejoicing toon army behind Onana’s goal continued their 90-minute party.
When the referee brought proceedings to an end Newcastle United claimed their second Old Trafford victory over Manchester United since 1972; avenged their Carabao Cup final defeat at Wembley and piled a huge lump of pressure on Erik ten Hag as ‘sacked in the morning’ echoed from the voices of supporters remaining inside the stadium, including those in red and white.
Ten Hag lost only six of his first 40 games in charge up to last season’s Carabao Cup final success. They have lost 13 of 36 since. They have lost consecutive home matches by three goals or more for the first time since October 1962.
He has spent over £350m in three transfer windows since his arrival from Ajax. Five of his signings started the game; six finished it and none emerged with any real credit.
Howe meanwhile included seven players in his line-up that were at the club prior to his arrival and four that were part of the Rafa Benitez’ squad that gained promotion back to the premier League in 2017. Sharp contrast indeed!
Newcastle rolls on to the Quarter final where the post-match draw set up as visit to Stamford Bridge to face Chelsea in mid-December.
And in the absence of Jamaal Lascelles and Kieran Trippier, Longstaff was handed the armband, leading out his boyhood club in front of 8,000 fellow proud Geordies among the 72,000 crowd.
However, the game could not have got off to a worse start for Longstaff and his fellow Geordies when, after only two minutes Matt Targett went down with what seemed like a severe hamstring injury
With five senior players out injured, plus Sandro Tonali ruled out for 10 months due to his gambling ban, this was an injury Newcastle Utd could ill afford.
Howe was forced into the early introduction of Miguel Almiron in place of the unlucky Targett with Joelinton moving into central midfield and the left footed Almiron taking up the Brazilian’s left-wing berth.
Yet despite the changes it was Newcastle who seemed the more settled as they matched up to and surpassed their red devils’ rivals in all departments and with Longstaff and Joelinton leading through example, the red side of Old Trafford were soon showing their displeasure as their team looked pedestrian in comparison to the magpies work rate.
Summer signings Tino Livramento and Lewis Hall were looking particularly dangerous in these early exchanges as they kept Antony and Garnacho busy tracking back as much as they did going forward.
In the 28th minute Livramento again picked off Garnacho with ease and set off on a Crossfield run with the ball that stretched sixty yards, before playing in Almiron with a defence splitting pass that the Paraguayan took in his stride before slotting into the far past the on rushing Onana for the opening goal; a goal Newcastle fully deserved.
On 36 minutes it was 0:2 with some fine Newcastle interplay down the left led to Willock’s chipped cross being cleared by the head of Maguire only as far as Hall who fired home into the same far corner as that found by Almiron eight minutes earlier.
The reds inside Old Trafford were stunned, while the 8,000 travelling Geordies were in wonderland!
Newcastle’s left side was certainly proving to be Man Utd’s Achilles heel and it was no surprise that the beleaguered Ten Hag replaced his right back Diogo Dalot at half-time not only for his failure to track Almiron for the opener but for his general lack of ability to track anybody: be it the Paraguayan or his teammates Hall, Willock Longstaff, Gordon Ritchie or Joelinton. All of whom were enjoying the freedom that Dalot, and his fellow defenders were providing.
Returning Brazilian midfielder Casemiro did not re-appear for the second half either although youngster Mejbri (Hannibal) survived Ten hag’s half time cull despite walking a yellow card tightrope with referee Robert Jones.
Manchester Utd rallied somewhat during the early stages of the second half, but any sign of a comeback was extinguished when the ever-willing Joe Willock picked up a loose ball in midfield before running at the back-peddling red’s defenders before firing into the bottom left corner past a despairing Onana to give his team an unassailable lead.
Both teams then rang the changes with Howe sending on Guimarães and Wilson for Willock and Gordon respectively while Ten Hag called upon Højlund, Rashford and Fernandes in the hope of injecting some passion and quality into his despondent team. But by the time Howe offered a run out to Trippier and Burn in place of Hall and Ritchie any hope of quality and passion had evaporated just like the Old Trafford crowd as the rejoicing toon army behind Onana’s goal continued their 90-minute party.
When the referee brought proceedings to an end Newcastle United claimed their second Old Trafford victory over Manchester United since 1972; avenged their Carabao Cup final defeat at Wembley and piled a huge lump of pressure on Erik ten Hag as ‘sacked in the morning’ echoed from the voices of supporters remaining inside the stadium, including those in red and white.
Ten Hag lost only six of his first 40 games in charge up to last season’s Carabao Cup final success. They have lost 13 of 36 since. They have lost consecutive home matches by three goals or more for the first time since October 1962.
He has spent over £350m in three transfer windows since his arrival from Ajax. Five of his signings started the game; six finished it and none emerged with any real credit.
Howe meanwhile included seven players in his line-up that were at the club prior to his arrival and four that were part of the Rafa Benitez’ squad that gained promotion back to the premier League in 2017. Sharp contrast indeed!
Newcastle rolls on to the Quarter final where the post-match draw set up as visit to Stamford Bridge to face Chelsea in mid-December.
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