POGBA SHOOTS INTO THE SIDE NETTING! Sanchez’s overhead clearance goes right to Lingard, who heads to the halfway line before pushing a pass forward for Pogba. The France midfielder gets Dubravka to come off his line and out of his penalty area before rounding him, though he is unable to finish in the open net as his angle was cut down significantly.
90' +1
The referee indicates an additional six minutes at the end of the match - can Newcastle do the impossible?!
89'
Ritchie crosses the ball into the box from a deep position on the left which finds Shelvey, though the midfielder’s header pops up and over the crossbar.
87'
J. Lingard enters the game and replaces M. Rashford.
Rashford is withdrawn with three minutes left in the match, after contributing a goal, and the free-kick which led to Lukaku’s opener. Lingard is his replacement.
85'
The free-kick comes into the Manchester United penalty area by Ritchie, but no Newcastle player is able to get a head on it and it goes out for a goal-kick.
83'
Play has stopped as Herrera is down in some pain following the Spain midfielder's challenge on Atsu - which left the perpetrator injured.
81'
Y. Muto enters the game and replaces F. Schär.
Benitez has nothing to lose and brings off centre-back Schar for forward Muto in an attacking change.
80'
M. Rashford has scored a goal for Manchester United! Assist by A. Sánchez.
RASHFORD STARTS THE COUNTER, AND HE FINISHES IT! 2-0! Rashford plays it to Lukaku on the halfway line and continues forward, taking up a good position at the bottom of the penalty area. In the meantime, Lukaku finds Sanchez with a pass, and the winger looks up and finds his team-mate open in the box. A simple yet incisive ball from the middle of the box opens up the striker who finishes it with a brilliant curl into the bottom corner!
Both substitutes are now on the score sheet now as Sanchez’s pass for Rashford’s goal is the assist!
79'
Dummett fires in a cross which is blocked at its inception by Young. Ritchie claims the ricochet but gives it away cheaply, putting Manchester into a position to counter-attack.
Minute
Description
77'
Manchester United are in possession, passing it around in midfield looking to sap precious time from the clock, and open up Newcastle’s defence. With less than 15 minutes left in the match, the Magpies have lacked any attacking thrust as they are now forced to score an equaliser. With one more substitute available to him, can the manager conjure up something from the bench?
75'
L. Shaw gets yellow.
Shaw cynically tugs back the jersey of Yedlin during a counter-attack, earning the left-back a yellow card.
74'
Rashford is over the free-kick and he once again opts to blast it on goal, but the wall this time stands firm and does its job – repelling the set-piece immediately.
73'
Shelvey gives away a free-kick after taking down Pogba in the Newcastle half. It’s a nasty challenge with the studs of his boot, causing Pogba to have some words with both opposition players and the referee.
69'
Kenedy enters the game and replaces Ayoze Pérez.
Benitez makes his first change of the match with just over 20 minutes left, as Perez is replaced by Kenedy.
68'
Shelvey looks to do just that as he hangs a high ball in the air for Rondon, though Lindelof is once again attached to his hip as the centre-back gets to the ball first. He’s having himself a very good match in defence – not allowing himself to be bullied by the strong, physically imposing striker.
66'
The substitution works to perfection as Newcastle find themselves behind after keeping the scores level for over an hour. Benitez cannot be happy with his goalkeeper; whose unsure hands gave Manchester United a goal that was far too easy for Lukaku to take. Rondon will have to get himself into the game more, as Newcastle are trying to avoid a run of four matches without victory.
64'
R. Lukaku has scored a goal for Manchester United!
IT’S A GOAL FROM LUKAKU WHO HAS JUST COME ON! 1-0 MANCHESTER UNITED! 38 seconds is all it took for the substitute to get on the score sheet as Rashford’s powerful free-kick is spilt by Dubravka, right in the path of Lukaku who turns it home from inside the six-yard box with ease!
63'
A. Sánchez enters the game and replaces Mata.
R. Lukaku enters the game and replaces A. Martial.
Solskjaer calls upon two substitutes, as Sanchez makes his return, taking off Mata.
The free-kick presents an opportunity for a substitution, as Lukaku replaces Martial.
62'
Mata wins a free-kick after being taken down by Hayden in midfield.
61'
Hayden plays an incisive pass into the penalty area for Atsu who does his best to hold off Lindelof before having a weak strike at De Gea from an off-balance position. The Newcastle support are appealing wildly for a penalty, but the referee never appeared to even consider it.
59'
Martial plays a ball across the Newcastle defence, encouraging Rashford to get forward and have a strike from the far post, but a combination of Dummett and Dubravka shield the ball to let it go out for a goal-kick.
57'
Atsu sees a gap between Lindelof and Valencia on the edge of the area and has a try towards goal which comes off as a cross between a shot and a pass for Rondon. The striker fails to latch onto it and De Gea calmly watches it trickle out for a goal-kick.
55'
Schar hits a wonderful pass for Atsu, who uses his first touch to play it out to the flank for Ritchie – though the ball is too far behind the wing-back, killing any potential momentum as an eventual cross from the left is blocked immediately.
53'
J. Shelvey enters the game and replaces M. Diamé.
Newcastle make a change, but it isn’t at centre-back as Shelvey replaces Diame – who himself was injured earlier in the match.
50'
Manchester United are passing the ball around the Newcastle penalty area, but there are no apparent openings as the Red Devils switch from left-to-right and back again. Mata finally advances the attack and manages a shot towards Dubravka from inside the penalty area, but it’s weak and the keeper is equal to it.
48'
Shaw and Jones get their signals crossed in midfield and the centre-back is forced to boot the ball into touch for a Newcastle throw deep in their own half.
46'
V. Lindelöf gets yellow.
Newcastle get the second half underway from the kick-off!
Lindelof is booked for a deliberate handball while challenging Rondon for an aerial pass.
45' +2
HALF-TIME: NEWCASTLE 0-0 MANCHESTER UNITED.
45' +1
The referee indicates an additional two minutes of stoppage time at the end of the half, though Diame's treatment could add a minute or so to the first half.
45'
Play stops momentarily as Diame is receiving treatment for what appears to be a groin injury after a collision with Pogba.
44'
Pogba plays it through for Martial who swings a cross into the penalty area, looking for Rashford. Lascelles is there once again though, and his defensive clearance eases the pressure slightly as half-time approaches.
42'
Mata takes the free-kick with a flat delivery into the six-yard box, but due to the close defending, Jones can only direct his header high of the goal.
40'
Marriner whistles play to a halt as Pogba does down on the right-wing after a heavy challenge. The referee plays advantage but when Manchester’s attack ends, he calls the players back and awards a free-kick.
36'
Pogba attempts to take on two defenders on the left-flank but loses his footing which allows Diame to come forward on a counter-attack. His long-range shot is blocked in midfield, giving Newcastle a throw and allowing Manchester United’s midfield to reorganise.
34'
Rondon sends it over! Yedlin plays a lovely one-two pass with Hayden which gets him free from Shaw to put in a delivery, which finds Rondon just outside the six-yard box. Lindelof does well to put him off, but the striker ultimately wastes his chance, putting his header above the crossbar.
30'
It has to be said that Newcastle have done well to limit Manchester United as we approach the conclusion of the opening half-hour, as Solskjaer’s side have scored goals in the first-30 minutes in their previous three fixtures.
28'
J. Lascelles gets yellow.
Lascelles is shown a yellow card for a recklessly late sliding challenge on Herrera.
23'
Atsu hits an early pass for Rondon just before the penalty area, but Jones intercepts the pass and cuts out the attack before it is allowed to develop.
21'
Newcastle have looked brighter in the last five minutes, taking responsibility to attack and exposing the lack of pace in Lindelof and Valencia. Their end-product has been poor thus far, but at least they are beginning to show signs of wanting to win the match.
19'
Perez hits a tremendous cross-pitch pass to Atsu on the left, who goes into the penalty area tracked by only the trailing Lindelof. He takes a touch and curls a shot, but it bends away from goal and fails to trouble De Gea.
17'
Rashford takes the corner to the far post, but a heroic header backwards from Dummett puts it out for a throw.
16'
Martial looks to cut inside from the left and take on Yedlin, but he stops his run on the corner of the penalty area and curls a pass into the area which is cleared by a defender for a corner.
13'
Atsu gives away possession following a throw-in thanks to a horrible return pass to Dummett, and Manchester United can clear, though they fail to get the ball out of their half. A high delivery from Schar gets to the foot of Atsu who traps it well, but his shot falls for an easy De Gea catch.
11'
Rashford and the away support are both incensed as Rashford is pushed over in a show of off-the-ball strength by Lascelles. The Manchester United contingent in the stands are furiously arguing for a free-kick just outside the penalty area, but referee Andre Marriner is not convinced.
9'
Martial wins a free-kick on the left wing, with Rashford and Mata standing over the set-piece, which is in a great area to cross. The former opts to shoot on goal from quite some distance, forcing Dubravka to punch it clear at the near post.
7'
Pogba is taken down by Yedlin during a duel on the left-flank and wins a free-kick which Manchester United take quickly. The attack breaks down thanks to a packed penalty area, and Newcastle get it clear.
5'
It’s been a relatively slow start to the match, with Manchester passing calmly around the Newcastle press. Herrera and Matic seem in no hurry to get the ball forward, preferring to keep it amongst Jones and Lindelof.
3'
Rashford receives a well-delivered pass from Mata in midfield and gets by a Newcastle defender before Lascelles steps in and stops the England international in his tracks – just in front of the penalty area.
1'
Manchester United get the match underway from the kick-off!
Hello and welcome to our LIVE commentary of the Premier League fixture between Newcastle United and Manchester United!
Abdoulaye Doucoure’s late equaliser denied Newcastle the three points last time out, with a 1-1 draw against Watford extending Rafa Benitez’s winless streak to three matches – having scored only once in that time. The Magpies enter their 21st match of the campaign against Manchester United in 15th place, three points off the drop.
Three games without Jose Mourinho, three convincing victories for a Manchester United side who failed to win four of their final five matches before changing coaches. 12 goals in three games since, with only three conceded is a frightening record which would scare any defence, even Benitez’s resilient and organised back line.
Last-place Huddersfield Town are the only Premier League side to have scored fewer than Newcastle’s tally of 15, with Salomon Rondon – who scored against Watford – netting one-third of their total in 14 appearances. The rest of the attack has been woeful this year, with three other strikers: Ayoze Perez, Yoshinori Muto and Joselu combining for five goals. If the hosts are to get anything from this match, they’ll have to do well hitting the target, as Manchester United seem a resurgent force under new management.
Paul Pogba seems to be the main beneficiary of the appointment of Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, as the mercurial midfielder has four goals and three assists under the former Norway international, after only contributing three goals and three assists during the first-half of the season. His rejuvenated form will be the key to a Manchester United victory in this contest, as he is proving influential in all phases of the game.
With 15 minutes before kick-off, the team news has been confirmed! Let’s start with the home side.
MANCHESTER UNITED SUBS: Jesse Lingard, Romelu Lukaku, Alexis Sanchez, Sergio Romero, Fred, Ashley Young, Matteo Darmian.
MANCHESTER UNITED XI (4-2-3-1): David De Gea; Antonio Valencia, Victor Lindelof, Phil Jones, Luke Shaw; Ander Herrera, Nemanja Matic; Juan Mata, Paul Pogba, Anthony Martial; Marcus Rashford.
NEWCASTLE SUBS: Florian Lejeune, Freddy Woodman, Javier Manquillo, Joselu, Jonjo Shelvey, Kenedy, Yoshinori Mu
NEWCASTLE XI (5-4-1): Martin Dubravka; Matt Ritchie, Paul Dummett, Jamaal Lascelles, Fabian Schar, DeAndre Yedlin; Ayoze Perez, Mohamed Diame, Isaac Hayden, Christian Atsu; Salomon Rondon.
Newcastle defended well in the first half, staying resolute and regimented as they repelled Manchester United’s attacks. Clearly willing to take anything he can from this match, Benitez’s side sacrificed most of the possession, only having the ball 28% of the time. Rondon and Atsu did get themselves into the match a little bit more as the half went on, with the Venezuela striker getting into two dangerous positions; though he was unable to finish on both occasions. The same story can be told for Atsu, who sent a shot curling away from goal twice from a similar area.
Manchester United failed to score in the first half for the first time under Solskjaer, as Newcastle’s defensive positioning provided quite the difficult test. Rashford, Pogba and Martial have all been involved, with the trio of attackers combining for seven shots on Dubravka. The visitors have certainly looked the more positive side, but they’ll have to turn that endeavour into goals if they want to extend their winning run to four matches.
Next up for Newcastle is an FA Cup tie with Blackburn on Saturday, while Manchester United host Reading in the same competition on the same day.
That concludes our commentary of the fixture between Newcastle United and Manchester United! We hope you enjoyed it.
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