Manchester United’s dire league form continued after they were blown away by a Newcastle side that were faster, stronger, more competitive and had much more quality.
The game was over as a contest inside 20 minutes as Alexander Isak and Joelinton scored headed goals from open play. United rallied briefly at the start of the second half but never really looked like getting back into it.
The result leaves us in 14th; just 7 points above the drop zone with league leaders Liverpool at Anfield up next. It’s the first time since 1979 that we’ve lost three league home games on the bounce, and at the moment it looks more likely we’ll get sucked into a relegation battle than compete for European football.
game over inside 20 minutes
Most Reds were pessimistic about this game given the omission of Bruno Fernandes and Manuel Ugarte, but the manner and speed in which United surrendered the lead to Newcastle was shocking.
After just four minutes a simple cross by Lewis Hall found Alexander Isak in acres of space between centre backs Maguire and Martinez, and he nodded in an easy header for 1-0.
Isak should have had another shortly after; his tame chipped finish being snapped up by Onana when he was through on goal, but it was inevitable Eddie Howe’s side would score again. A few minutes later it was Joelinton climbing above the hapless Martinez to nod in Anthony Gordon’s cross – Mazraoui giving the winger far too much space to pick out the striker.
United were lucky it wasn’t more when Sandro Tonali hit the post from inside the 6-yard box, somehow making it to half-time with just a 2-goal deficit. Hojlund and Casemiro missed decent late chances but they were created totally against the run of play; the latter coming from a misplaced Newcastle pass.
men against boys and zirkzee’s shocker
The most disappointing part about last night was the lack of competitiveness all over the pitch. In the first half it seemed like every header, every duel was won by a Newcastle player. There was no pressing, no aggression, no fight, no leadership. Where is the pride at playing for this massive club?
Casemiro and Eriksen were completely and utterly dominated by Guimarares, Tonali and Joelinton in midfield, and Newcastle wingers Gordon and Murphy constantly had their way against Dalot and Mazraoui on the flanks.
The night’s biggest culprit though was Joshua Zirkzee. How a powerfully built man of 6’4″ can’t win a header or a duel is baffling, and when you can’t progress the ball or even simply find a team-mate, what are you actually bringing to the team? The Dutchman was rightly subbed off for Kobbie Mainoo just after half an hour – it seems clear that he is not at the required standard for this football club, although the so-called ‘fans’ booing him off need to have a look in the mirror. Will we see him start for United again? I wouldn’t bank on it.
an inevitable conclusion
United did look better after Mainoo’s introduction and had a decent 15-minute spell at the start of the second half; Harry Maguire and Leny Yoro going close with headers. After the hour-mark though, Newcastle regained control and managed the game well until the final whistle.
Fans were streaming out long before full-time, boos rang out at the end and with Liverpool away next week, this crisis will probably get worse before it gets better. Put simply: United just don’t have the players to compete with the best teams in the league.
Player Ratings & motm
Andre Onana – 5: Goals not his fault but still doesn’t inspire confidence on crosses
De Ligt – 4: Rarely played a progressive pass and looked outmatched by Alexander Isak
Harry Maguire – 5: Nowhere near Isak for the first goal. Kept going though and had a header of his own hit the post in the second half
Lisandro Martinez – 3: Looks a shadow of his former self – bullied by Joelinton and Alexander Isak for most of the game and hooked for Leny Yoro after an hour
Noussair Mazraoui – 3: Bamboozled time after time by Anthony Gordon down our right-hand side and offered nothing going forward
Casemiro – 2 : Outmatched by Newcastle’s excellent midfield, wasteful in possession and couldn’t play a forward pass. Also missed our biggest first-half chance and was subbed on the hour for Garnacho
Eriksen – 3: Probably the beginning of the end. A good servant for the club over the last few years, but it’s clear that he now has neither the speed or physicality for this team
Diogo Dalot – 5: Less bad than some of his defensive colleagues and did create some danger in our decent spell just after half time
Amad Diallo – 5: One of the few to at least try to make things happen and progress the ball. Ultimately not his day, but one of our better performers
Joshua Zirkzee – 1: A horrorshow of a performance. Amorim doesn’t seem the capricious type but Zirkzee will have to improve an awful lot to get back into this side.
He was unable to win headers or duels, hold the ball up, carry the ball or find a team-mate with his passing, and was rightly subbed for Kobbie Mainoo on 33 minutes. You do have to feel sorry for Zirkzee after getting booed off by the more toxic elements of our so-called fanbase, but it seems crystal clear that he is currently nowhere near the level required for this team
Rasmus Hojlund – 3: Got no change out of Fabian Schar and almost completely unable to link up with the number 10s. Put a good chance wide and did almost nothing else of note
Subs:
Mainoo – 6.5 & MOTM: Baffling that he started on the bench – a mistake that Amorim will hopefully not make again – and immediately gave us more bite, control and creativity in midfield. One of only a couple of players that can hold their head high
Yoro – 5: An upgrade on Martinez and nearly scored from a corner
Antony – 5: Some decent play in his ten-minute cameo
Alejandro Garnacho – 4: Ineffective
Looking Forward
It only gets harder from here. United’s next two games are Liverpool away in the league and then Arsenal away in the FA Cup.
We are surely odds-on to lose both games and can you see us scoring in either of those matches? I can’t.
Ruben Amorim knew he was taking on a tough job when he joined United, but I wonder if he reaslised the true magnitude of the task ahead of him. The current United side look worse than we have at any point since Alex Ferguson left, and are breaking records with the defeats we’re quickly accumulating.
Make no mistake about it – it’s a long, long way back to the top for this great football club.