Anthony Gordon’s sixth goal of the season handed Newcastle United a sixth-successive Premier League victory at St James’ Park as Manchester United became their latest victims.
The Magpies, who returned from Paris St Germain in midweek bitterly disappointed with a 1-1 Champions League draw, dominated for all but the final few minutes and perhaps should have secured the points in more emphatic fashion with Kieran Trippier seeing a first-half free-kick come back off the crossbar.
However, Gordon’s 55th-minute finish - the fourth-successive home league game in which he has scored - proved sufficient to clinch a 1-0 win and send Eddie Howe’s side above the Red Devils in the table, although his joy was tempered by a potentially-serious injury to goalkeeper Nick Pope.
Given all that and the acknowledgment that Man United also had Champions League duty this week, it was surprising that Manchester United was the team looking exhausted for much of the match.
The Red Devils were coming off three-straight Premier League wins but had drawn Galatasaray 3-3 at midweek in the Champions League. They rarely looked up for this match until the final 10 minutes, with Newcastle struggling for energy and Sofyan Amrabat helping Man Utd find a modicum of say in the match.
The United manager is right to say he has been dealt an unsatisfactory poker hand this season, but he’s been playing what resources he has available to him badly.
Ten Hag will hope that things will improve in the new year when Casemiro, Lisandro Martinez and others return from injury, but his team could fall behind in the race for the top five by then. December fixtures against Chelsea and Liverpool could heap further pressure on a manager who is losing goodwill among his fanbase.
For Ten Hag, it may have felt grimly familiar. Eighteen months into his reign, he is yet to record a win on the road in the Premier League against any of the eight best sides. His side’s preparations were disrupted, being unable to fly and having to brave the roads. And yet the problems with the coach were not confined to the vehicle. Manchester United looked disjointed, Newcastle United the well-trained team who were furnished with motivation and a strategy.
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