Manchester United 4, Newcastle Utd 1
Manchester United roared back from disappointment at Watford to win 4-1 at home to Newcastle Utd with an Anthony Martial brace bookending goals by Mason Greenwood and Marcus Rashford.
Embed from Getty ImagesThe Reds took full advantage of a string of Newcastle Utd errors to punish the Magpies.
Daniel James and Jesse Lingard stepped down to the bench and were replaced by Mason Greenwood and Andreas Pereira.
United took an early blow after Matty Longstaff scored his second goal for Newcastle United in the 17th minute after exchanging passes with Joelinton.
But some terrible defending by the Magpies allowed United to end the game within 51 minutes.
First, Martin Dubravka allowed Anthony Martial to level the scores with a curling shot after 24 minutes, a step to his left giving the United striker plenty of room to curl the ball past Dubravka who got a hand to it but couldn’t stop it.
The Reds took the lead after 36 minutes when Fabian Schar’s poor touch allowed Mason Greenwood enough space to snatch the ball and his shot took a slight deflection to beat Dubravka.
Things looked bleak for Newcastle after Aaron Wan-Bissaka’s cross was converted after a magnificent leap by Marcus Rashford who scored a rare header past Dubravka to make it 3-1 in the 41st minute.
The game was up after 51 minutes when Martial ran onto a very poor Sean Longstaff back pass and lifted the ball over Dubravka, who went down early, after running unchecked deep into the Newcastle area.
A raft of substitutions saw Paul Pogba, Lingard, and Juan Mata come on as Ole Gunnar Solskjaer sought to protect Scott McTominay, Martial, and Rashford.
PLAYER RATINGS – Manchester United 4, Newcastle Utd 1
David De Gea: 6. Little to do, especially in the second half.
Aaron Wan-Bissaka: 7. Quality crossing – one of which handed Marcus Rashford a majestic header.
Victor Lindelof: 6. Tried some expansive passes after the game was won.
Harry Maguire: 7. Commanded the area and confidently forced a save from Dubravka from 30 yards with the game well won.
Luke Shaw: 6. Peripheral figure at left back.
Fred: 6. Gave away the ball that led to Matt Longstaff’s goal. Sat deep once Paul Pogba came on and Scott McTominay went off.
Scott McTominay: 6. Booked within 24 seconds and then carried on after limping for a while following a block tackle. Gave way at half time to Paul Pogba.
Marcus Rashford: 7. Free kick deflected away for corner. Scored a magnificent header from Aaron Wan-Bissaka’s cross but was woefully wide with a later chance before it was declared offside.
Andreas Pereira: 7. His layoff set up the equaliser for Anthony Martial and had a chance go over the bar, also went close with a free kick parried away by Martin Dubravka.
Mason Greenwood: 7. Sloppy in possession, giving away a chance for Newcastle to run at United which Dwight Gayle could have finished. But predatory instinct to score when Fabian Schar lost the ball close to goal.
Anthony Martial: 8. Was on the spot to level things up for Man Utd and put the game beyond Newcastle Utd early in the second half before hitting the post as he tried for a hat trick.
Paul Pogba (on for Scott McTominay, 46): 7. Curled a shot wide after coming on and then tested Dubravka after skipping inside two half hearted Newcastle challenges.
Jesse Lingard (on for Marcus Rashford, 64): 6. Christmas period run out for the midfielder.
Juan Mata (on for Anthony Martial, 67): 6. Tried some confident passes with the game well won. Almost picked out Pogba for what would have been a great 5th goal for United.
GOALS – Manchester United 4, Newcastle Utd 1
Man Utd 0, Newcastle Utd 1: 17. Matty Longstaff got the ball back off Joelinton after a lofted pass released the striker who passed back to the young midfielder who rattled the ball low past David De Gea
Man Utd 1, Newcastle Utd 1: 24. Andreas Pereira’s short lay off gives Anthony Martial all the space he needs to curl the ball in past Martin Dubravka at his near post from 15 yards out
Man Utd 2, Newcastle Utd 1: 36. Mason Greenwood pounces after a poor touch by Fabian Schar trying to take the ball out of defence – Greenwood’s shot goes off after taking a deflection off Fernandez
Man Utd 3, Newcastle Utd 1: 41. Aaron Wan-Bissaka’s cross was headed past Martin Dubravka from 6 yards out by Marcus Rashford
Man Utd 4, Newcastle Utd 1: 51. Anthony Martial made the most of a poor Sean Longstaff backpass – running it deep into Newcastle territory and lifting it over Martin Dubravka after he went to ground.
MATCH STATS – Manchester United 4, Newcastle Utd 1
Man Utd: De Gea, Wan-Bissaka, Lindelof, Maguire (C), Shaw, Fred, McTominay (Pogba 46), Rashford (Lingard 63), Pereira, Greenwood, Martial (Mata 67)
Man Utd Subs not used: Romero, Jones, James, Romero
Booking: Scott McTominay 1 (foul on Sean Longstaff); Pereira 35 (foul on Fabian Schar)
Newcastle Utd: Dubravka, Schar (Krafth 88), Fernandez (C), Lejeune, Manquillo, Sean Longstaff, Matty Longstaff, Almiron (Yedlin 63), Willems, Gayle (Atsu 59), Joelinton
Newcastle Utd Subs not used: Darlow, Carroll, Shelvey, Hayden
Booking: Schar 38 (foul on Marcus Rashford); Yedlin 82 (dive?)
Referee: Kevin Friend
Attendance: 73,206