Miguel Almiron, a first-half substitution, opened the goal less than 30 minutes into the game. Lewis Hall’s first senior football score shortly afterward doubled the lead.
Overall, Erik ten Hag’s team played too passively, and Manchester United, who had a better run early in the second half, suffered even more when Joe Willock added a third goal.
How the game developed
Eddie Howe and Newcastle suffered a blow when Matt Targett was injured with a few minutes to go and was unable to continue. Almiron was the player that came into the game and forced the visitors to regroup right away, but the Paraguayan took the lead.
Neither team had generated anything very special as the half-hour mark drew near. From twenty yards out, Casemiro had an opportunity to challenge Martin Dubravka, but his shot lacked any true impact. Still, Newcastle had adjusted to their practically full lineup alterations from the game before quite well.
Right-back Tino Livramento was responsible for Almiron’s first goal. The 20-year-old drove forward and finished beautifully by finding his teammate in the area after winning the ball back in his own half.
Compared to the usually passionate home audience, the away Newcastle supporters were more rowdy. Inside Old Trafford, the Geordie contingent yelled, “Tino, Tino, Tino!” before focusing on Ten Hag and calling out to the Dutchman, “Sacked in the morning!”
Harry Maguire’s half-baked clearance of a well-executed Newcastle move down the left and clip into the box made things worse for the hosts. Hall waited for the ball to reach his left foot before controlling it and volleying past Andre Onana and into The far corner.
The Red Devils had been shooting poorly for most of the first half, but right before halftime they had a brief but intense spell of pressure that paid off when Mason Mount made a hard drive from around 30 yards that pricked Dubravka’s palms.
Ten Hag switched to his bench at the interval, and Aaron Wan-Bissaka made his first appearance from the bench following a seven-week injury layoff. After taking over for the unfortunate Diogo Dalot, the right-back had an immediate impact by partnering well with Anthony to create a chance for Anthony Martial to score in the box. Furthermore, Sofyan Amrabat was included, and the hosts possessed some kind of power.
However, any hopes of a comeback were firmly crushed by Willock’s surprise. Joelinton gained possession of the ball from Amrabat in midfield, and Willock recovered it. Then he lunged forward, taking advantage of the opening in front of him to finish in the bottom corner with precision.
As Newcastle’s lead increased to three goals, Ten Hag’s seemed to concede defeat, and the game became more of a procession in the final minutes. On his historic 150th appearance, Sean Longstaff, captain of his childhood team, narrowly missed a diving half-volley from the edge of the penalty box that would have made it 4-0.
