MOR MISERY
Man Utd 0 Newcastle 2: Ruben Amorim’s side embarrassed again as they drop closer to relegation zone with limp loss
Scroll down to watch the goals from the game
RUBEN AMORIM predicted at the start of December that a ‘storm’ was coming to Manchester United.
Yet the new boss cannot have forecast it would be quite this ferocious as his team slumped to a fourth straight defeat.
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And the worry is that more dark clouds are gathering - it could get worse for the Portuguese with trips to Liverpool and then Arsenal to come next.
Already this is a storm every bit as bad as the one that has put paid to the Hogmanay celebrations north of the border.
The Red Devils were simply blown away in the first half by Eddie Howe’s rampant Toon who scored twice and should have had more.
Alexander Isak scored for a sixth straight Premier League game while Joelinton scored almost an identical second 15 minutes later.
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Eddie Howe’s men are in electric form right now and they fully deserved only their second league win at the Theatre of Dreams in 40 visits.
Only when Amorim took off hapless summer signing Joshua Zirkzee and replaced him with Kobbie Mainoo did the home side get any sort of handle on this game.
But by then it was too late as the damage had already been done.
The evening started with news of a return to the squad for Marcus Rashford – 18 days after his last appearance for Man Utd.
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Amorim was short of options with Bruno Fernandes and Manuel Ugarte both suspended but even so the England forward was only on the bench.
And if the 27-year-old can’t get into this United side then his best days really must be behind him.
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There were plenty of concerns before kick-off about the lack of pace in the team that Amorim picked and it did not take long for them to be realised.
Less than four minutes in fact.
Bruno Guimaraes sprayed a pass out to Lewis Hall on the left and the full back controlled before hanging up a lovely cross.
Isak got in between Harry Maguire and Lisandro Martinez and was somehow completely unmarked to nod the visitors ahead.
The Swede has now scored in six straight Prem games – and becomes only the second Toon player to achieve that feat.
VAR confirmed the full-back was onside and Eddie Howe’s men had another early goal – following the ones they got against Ipswich and Aston Villa.
And they clearly saw that the home side were there for the taking.
Isak ran onto Bruno’s first time pass and cut in from the right but tried to be too clever with his finish and chipped it straight into Andre Onana’s grateful hands.
Man Utd ratings vs Newcastle as Joshua Zirkzee is hooked after half an hour and Kobbie Mainoo the only bright spark
KOBBIE MAINOO'S performance was the only silver lining as Manchester United suffered a fourth consecutive defeat.
Newcastle struck twice in the opening 19 minutes as they threatened to tally up a cricket score at Old Trafford.
Joshua Zirkzee was ruthlessly subbed after half an hour after struggling in a No10 role – but there was no recovering for Ruben Amorim’s side.
Here is how SunSport's Kealan Hughes rated the United display…
Andre Onana - 5
Little he could do about both goals and was barely tested other than that.
Noussair Mazraouri - 4
The first two goals came down his side as he failed to close down the crosses that were turned in by Isak and Joelinton.
But he was positive in possession and put in a few dangerous crosses.
Matthijs de Ligt - 5
Did not do much wrong for Newcastle goals but can be criticised for his failure to organise his defensive team-mates.
Harry Maguire - 4
Lost Isak for the opener as he was caught ball watching.
Almost made amends but his diving header cannoned back off the post.
Lisandro Martinez - 3
A complete mismatch as he attempted to battle Joelinton for a cross the Brazilian turned in.
Also lost Isak for the opener and even faced the wrong way as the cross came in.
Diogo Dalot - 5
Offered some much needed stability on the left flank and produced a good cross for Maguire's headed chance.
Casemiro - 3
Dismal throughout. So far off the pace and barely made a pass.
Missed a guilt-edge chance to pull one back on the stroke of half-time.
Christian Eriksen - 4
Similarly inept in protecting his defence as Casemiro, as he was overran time and time again.
He did at least put a few passes together and improved after Mainoo came on.
Amad Diallo - 4
A tricky evening up against the hardworking Anthony Gordon and Lewis Hall so was largely ineffective.
Joshua Zirkzee - 2
Nothing went his way and the fans quickly got on his back. He was hauled off in the 33rd minute and his substitution was greeted with cheers by the Old Trafford faithful.
Rasmus Hojlund - 5
Fed off scraps but did not stop running and was a rare bright spark - came very close with a low shot that whistled past the post in the first half.
Subs
Kobbie Mainoo (for Zirkzee) - 6
Turned things around after his introduction and made things happen with his accurate passing.
Set up Casemiro for a chance the Brazilian should have buried.
Leny Yoro (for Martinez, 64mins) - 6
Had a good chance from a corner but sent his free header wide.
Alejandro Garnacho (for Casemiro, 64mins) - 4
Struggled to make an impact as he failed to beat a man.
Antony (for De Ligt, 83 mins) - 5
Not enough time to influence the match.
But the reprieve was short-lived. Once again Newcastle had too much time in the middle to work the ball out to the left.
This time Anthony Gordon breezed past Noussair Mazrouai and crossed for Joelinton who got above Martinez and nodded into the corner.
It was almost a carbon copy of the first goal just 15 minutes later – United had simply not learned their lesson.
That’s 18 goals conceded by United in December – the most in a calendar month since 1964.
Amorim’s men were in complete disarray and Kieran Trippier had clearly done his homework – as he twice fired his corners right under the crossbar.
The Red Devils have conceded straight from a flag-kick twice in the space of a week either side of Christmas – but this time they managed to keep it out.
Isak fired an absolute rocket into the top corner of Andre Onana’s net and the home fans were relieved to see it ruled out for offside.
And then Sandro Tonali swapped passes with Gordon before shooting against the post when, frankly, it looked easier to score.
Just 33 minutes had gone when Amorim decided he had seen enough.
He hauled off summer signing Joshua Zirkzee and replaced him with Kobbie Mainoo in a bid to somehow stem the black and white flow.
The move was widely cheered by large sections of the home crowd while others booed as the £36.5 million man ran off.
It is hard to see how he comes back from this but if there is any consolation for the Dutchman, it is that any one of the United players could have come off.
Maybe it served as a wake up call for the rest of them as they could have pulled one back before the break.
A rare United attack saw Rasmus Hojlund get in down the left but he fired his shot just past the far post with Martin Dubravka beaten.
A loose pass from Fabian Schar went straight to the feet of Mainoo and he played in Casemiro but the Brazilian could not even find the target.
Newcastle had become a little sloppy – perhaps it was too easy for them. But they certainly seemed to ease off after the break.
Yet Howe can forgive them that – his team have banged in 13 goals in four straight league wins – and none conceded. A return to the Champions League looks on for them.
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The home side went close again just before the hour as Diogo Dalot’s cross from the left was headed against the post by a diving Maguire.
Yet even when United needed a goal, there was no call from the bench for Rashford.
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