HELLO AND WELCOME to live coverage of Manchester United’s Premier League clash with Newcastle at Old Trafford.
Gavan Casey here and I’ll be taking you through the action this evening as both of these sides, locked on 25 points apiece in the table, aim to overtake Wolves in seventh, however briefly.
Kick-off is at 17:30, and we’ll get team news sorted in a jiffy.
For United, Paul Pogba remains on the bench despite his positive introduction during United’s 2-0 defeat to Watford last weekend. Daniel James drops out of Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s starting XI, and 18-year-old Mason Greenwood — James’ neighbour in the United dressing room — starts in his place.
For Newcastle, the Longstaff brothers return while Jonjo Shelvey and Andy Carroll take places on the bench.
“With Paul, it’s too early to demand too much of him,” says Solskjaer of Pogba. “He has worked really hard but we will have to drip-feed him in and gradually play him more and more.”
Hear more from the boss ahead of #MUNNEW — sound 🔛 pic.twitter.com/yKM90lpsCg
— Manchester United (@ManUtd) December 26, 2019
Steve Bruce’s men head out to warm up ahead of kick-off.
Warm-up time at Old Trafford! 🏃♂️#NUFC | #MUNNEW pic.twitter.com/b9bAAKzU4P
— Newcastle United FC (@NUFC) December 26, 2019
What do you reckon this evening?
Poll Results:
A few United players dusting off the cobwebs. Kick-off is in less than 10 minutes.
Blowing off the cobwebs! 🕸#MUFC #MUNNEW pic.twitter.com/DTPUa9MRpD
— Manchester United (@ManUtd) December 26, 2019
1′ – Manchester United 0-0 Newcastle: The hosts get us under way at Old Trafford, and almost instantaneously Scott McTominay is booked for a raised-studs challenge.
6′ – Manchester United 0-0 Newcastle United: Man United have started the more brightly here, with Martial and Rashford looking to link up and coming close to carving a couple of opportunities for their side.
McTominay has been involved in another strong challenge — this one with Matty Longstaff — and he’s now hobbling. Pogba is warming up on the touchline.
8′ – Manchester United 0-0 Newcastle United: Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s men have won just one of the last 17 Premier League games in which they’ve had more possession than their opponents. A crazy stat which really shows why most of United’s good results this season have been against higher-caliber opposition, and how reliant they are on counter-attacking.
12′ – Man United 0-0 Newcastle: Rashford’s free-kick clips the wall and careers out for a corner. From the resulting set piece, Harry Maguire can’t quite make the required contact and his header/shoulderer flies over the bar.
Hosts in control to this point.
14′ – Man United 0-0 Newcastle: Man United really leave themselves exposed on the counter attack and while they snuff out the first wave of danger, the ball squirts to Almiron who fires high and wide. Just a little warning from Bruce’s men.
15′ – Man United 0-0 Newcastle: HUGE chance! And again, it was Newcastle who broke well.
Nice link-up play between Joelinton and Gayle, and the latter fires over off his left foot while bearing down on goal. Poor, poor miss.
17′ – Man United 0-1 Newcastle: IT’S MATTY LONGSTAFF AGAIN! He was the game-winner in the corresponding fixture at St James’ Park, and he has opened the scoring for the Magpies here this evening.
Fred is dispossessed too easily in midfield and again, Bruce’s men counter. A lovely crossfield ball finds Longstaff at the edge of the United area. He touches it cleverly on for Joelinton, who twists and lays it back to Longstaff in the area. Bang. Bottom left. A fine finish.
Newcastle lead!
22′ – Man United 0-1 Newcastle: Fred has the hosts’ first shot on target, a timid enough long-range effort which is caught handily by Dubravka.
23′ – Man United 1-1 Newcastle: Well, that’s the response that Ole Gunnar Solskjaer would have been looking for, and it’s Martial who has drawn United level!
Luke Shaw drove into the Newcastle area and laid the ball to Perreira, whose delicate tee up was hist first-time by Martial into the bottom-left-hand corner.
Dubravka has to do better, there. He gets a hand to it but he’s ultimately beaten at his near post.
1-1!
28′ – Man United 1-1 Newcastle: A nice turn and pass by Perreira who feeds Martial near the centre-circle. The Frenchman goes left towards Rashford, who fires high and wide as he approaches the Newcastle box. A decent move as the hosts again start to knock on the door.
30′ – Man United 1-1 Newcastle: Perreira himself fires wide from range. Nine attempts by United so far to Newcastle’s three.
38′ – Man United 2-1 Newcastle: It’s an absolute gift from Newcastle but take nothing away from Mason Greenwood.
The 18-year-old pounces on some indecision and a poor pass out of Newcastle’s defence, collecting the ball outside the area and letting rip. A slight deflection may ruin the aesthetic of the goal ever so slightly, but it also may not have made a difference. A thunderbolt by the youngster.
United have turned it around!
39′ – Man United 2-1 Newcastle: Moments after United’s lead goal, Rashford bursts down the left and is clipped just outside the area.
Perreira has a go with a decent effort from the free-kick but Dubravka is a match for it.
41′ – Man United 3-1 Newcastle: Oh, what a header by Marcus Rashford! And what a cross by Aaron Wan-Bissaka.
Newcastle appeal for a foul in the build-up when Scott McTominay’s hand appeared to inadvertently catch Matt Longstaff in the face, but their protestations are waved away.
United’s right-back puts in a sumptuous cross and Rashford rises high to bullet a header past Dubravka. Super goal.
45′ – Man United 3-1 Newcastle: Two minutes of added time at the end of the first half. And Newcastle could really use the interval.
The second half is up and running at Old Trafford, and Paul Pogba is on for Scott McTominay who was on a yellow since the first minute and also picked up a knock earlier in the game.
Pogba gets quite a positive reception from his home faithful.
50′ – Man United 3-1 Newcastle: Ooft, Pogba only a whisker away with a fabulous long-range effort which whistles wide of the top-left corner.
50′ – Man United 4-1 Newcastle: Good Lord, it’s another gift by the Newcastle defence as a backpass from midfield is hit miles short and Martial takes full advantage.
The French forward collects it, surges through on goal and chips Dubravka delightfully to bag his second and United’s fourth.
Clinical. Ruthless. And starting to enjoy themselves.
57′ – Man United 4-1 Newcastle: Pogba again comes fairly close. This time he shapes up to fire one off his right but cuts back in onto his left to create the space. Decent effort off his weaker foot but Dubravka has the measure of it all the way.
60′ – Man United 4-1 Newcastle: Oh, so close to a hat-trick for Martial!
Neat build-up play with Rashford and Pogba involved, and Martial’s left-footed effort from outside the area flies back off the post.
A lick of paint away from his third!
67′ – Man United 4-1 Newcastle: Any bit of remaining sting has been taken out of the encounter by that fourth United goal.
Martial won’t get a chance to complete his hat-trick — he’s replaced by Juan Mata. Marcus Rashford departed a few minutes ago for Jesse Lingard.
72′ – Man United 4-1 Newcastle: A delightful move, there, by United, as Perreira produced a one-touch, volleyed flick between his legs and Mata crossed first-time for Greenwood, who just couldn’t quite control the ball.
Another thing you’d have to say for United today is that they’re still working ferociously off the ball, not giving Newcastle a second with possession. A far cry from that game at Vicarage Road.
80′ – Man United 4-1 Newcastle: A wonderful little pass by Juan Mata picks the lock with Newcastle now just set up to limit damage, but Paul Pogba can’t quite get enough on it despite his excellent run into the box.
90′ – Man United 4-1 Newcastle: Both sides just going through the motions. Added time: three minutes.
So, there you have it, folks. United move three points clear of Newcastle and close the gap on Chelsea to four points.
Keep an eye on The42 for a full report and reaction.
‘Til next time!
