Newcastle leapfrogged Manchester United with a resounding 2-0 victory at St James Park, in what will be seen as redemption for their 2-0 loss against Erik Ten Hag’s men at Wembley in February in the Carabao Cup Final.
Newcastle now sit in 3rd place on 50 points, level with Manchester United but ahead on goal difference. Tottenham have gone out of the top 4, with the London club sitting on 49 points in 5th place, having played a game more.
Newcastle United
Nick Pope: 7/10
Pope returned to Newcastle’s starting line up after missing the England international break through injury and the earlier tie between the two clubs in the league cup final due to suspension.
He was rarely troubled throughout the game, with tame efforts from Man United never troubling or forcing him to make any notable saves. This was Pope’s 13th clean sheet, the highest in the league and above Arsenal’s Aaron Ramsdale who has 12.
Kieran Trippier: 8/10
Trippier had a fine game at both ends of the pitch today, helping to keep the in-form Marcus Rashford quiet and at the other end provided a superb delivery for Callum Wilson to double Newcastle’s lead.
Trippier has been one of Howe’s best signings, playing a pivotal role in their survival last year and this season he is a stand out star in their push for Champions League qualification.
Fabian Schär: 9/10
Swiss centre-back Schär is developing into one of the leagues best centre backs, and this performance characterised why his side have kept the most clean sheets this season. He dominated the giant Wout Weghorst, keen to get the ball on the deck and develop the play for Newcastle.
This was summarised in the final phase of the game when he intercepted a Man Utd pass, marauded forward, played a one two with Bruno Guimarães and fired just over. His headed effort earlier on was also cleared off the line.
Sven Botman: 8/10
Botman, aged just 23 and signed last summer for a total of £35 million, is another fine addition to Newcastle’s backline. Newcastle fought to sign the dutchman over competition from both AC Milan and Tottenham Hotspur, and it is clear to see why, with a calm display in the centre of defence and strong awareness to regularly stop Man Utd feeding Weghorst.
Dan Burn: 7/10
Burn put in another fine display in the left-back position for Howe today, rewarding the faith put in him by his manager. With a more characteristic build of a centre back, being 6’5ft, the player lacks pace, but makes up for it with a suitable level of grit and determination.
Helped by his strong ability to slide in at the right time, Burn did a more than good enough job in keeping Man Utd’s tricky wingers quiet.
Sean Longstaff: 7.5/10
Longstaff, who has featured in all 27 of Newcastle’s Premier League games this season had a good performance in midfield, regularly breaking up the play and even going close with a fine long range effort in the first half.
Bruno Guimarães: 9/10
Bruno was one of Newcastle’s standout performers today. He led his fellow teammates in being aggressive and was everywhere in the midfield.
He dominated Man Utd’s Marcel Sabitzer, Scott McTominay and Bruno Fernandes. The Brazilian played a crucial role in Newcastle’s first goal, with a lofted ball that was headed back across to be tapped in by Joe Willock. As the Newcastle fans chanted ‘There’s only one Bruno’.
Joe Willock: 8/10
Willock starred in today’s game against Newcastle United. Signed initially on loan by Newcastle, he scored eight goals for them in the Premier League over 14 games. Since he has only found the net five times, but this season looks to be getting back to his very best.
The former Arsenal man was lively all game long, and while sometimes lacking the quality in the final third, he popped up when it mattered to put Newcastle firmly on their way to three points.
Jacob Murphy: 7/10
Murphy has started to become a regular in Newcastle United match day squads, and today it was clear to see why. The lively wideman combined with Trippier many times, helping to set up Alexander Isak for a big chance earlier on. He was hooked on the 68th minute to a round of applause by the Geordie faithful.
Alexander Isak: 8/10
Isak was a thorn in the United back line from minute one, running in behind with raw pace, he challenged both Lisandro Martinez and Raphael Varane all game long. The Swedish striker is starting to show real flashes of why Newcastle stumped up £63 million for his signature.
For Newcastle’s first goal, he showed quality to calmly collect the ball, put it on the deck and play in behind Guimaräes, who would go onto provide the ball which Newcastle scored from. While more is needed from Isak to justify his hefty price tag, there is no reason why he can’t be Newcastle’s star man for many years to come.
Allan Saint-Maximin: 8/10
Saint-Maxim as always caused problems for the opposition, being one of the quickest players in the league, Diogo Dalot always had his work cut out.
The Frenchman at times lacks the ferociousness on his shots to challenge keepers, but today helped to provide the assist for Willock’s tap in header.
Newcastle Substitutes:
Anthony Gordon: 6/10
Gordon, who was signed in January by Newcastle from Everton for £45 million made just his 5th appearance in the black and white of the Magpies. His contribution helped to close out an impressive win for Newcastle.
Joelinton: 7/10
Joelinton can’t have been pleased with being dropped by Howe for Willock but came on to make his 23rd appearance in the middle of the park.
The player who was originally signed as a striker has been converted into an all-round solid midfielder and played a big role in closing out the game today and continuing to create chances for Newcastle’s frontmen.
Callum Wilson: 8/10
Wilson was left out of Gareth Southgate’s England squad for games against Italy and Ukraine but responded today with a fine header off a Trippier free-kick. He planted it firmly in the corner leaving De Gea with no chance, and with continued involvements like this may give Howe food for thought over his selection of Newcastle’s number nine.
Elliot Anderson: 6/10
Anderson, who has represented both Scotland and England at youth international level, played the final 10 minutes of today’s encounter. The attacking winger, who is 20 years old, looked lively and full of confidence as he tried to trouble Dalot’s tired legs.
Manchester United
David De Gea: 6/10
De Gea did not have a bad display today, performing a fine double save early on to deny both Isak and Willock, along with improved distribution from some of his earlier spells this season.
However, he was beaten off two well-worked and well-taken headers. The Spanish goalkeeper, whose contract expires in the summer of 2024, will now need to recover and return ahead of a big end of the season for United, who will look to qualify for Champions League, after missing out on Europe’s top competition this year.
Diogo Dalot: 5/10
While being faced with the pace of Saint-Maximin is always a threat, Dalot did little to stem the flow of United’s attack down the right, with Maximin being allowed much freedom to turn inside and trouble United.
Raphael Varane: 5/10
Varane was substituted in the 83rd minuted by Erik Ten Hag, and I doubt there was much motivation from the Man Utd manager to give him a greeting. The Frenchman, who partnered Sergio Ramos at the back for Real Madrid for so many years, has shown very little of his former self since being at United.
Today he was ran ragged by Alexander Isak and failed to deal with most aerial threats into United’s box.
Lisandro Martinez: 6/10
Martinez was one of a few United players that started the game well. With an early block to deny Longstaff, he was aggressive at the heart of United’s defence however he failed to encourage his other players to do the same around him and was ultimately guilty for United’s loss.
Martinez needs to show us why he deserves his nickname of ‘The Butcher’.
Luke Shaw: 4/10
Shaw has struggled to gain form in a Red Devil’s shirt this year, and at St James Park his defensive abilities were shown up. Murphy and Trippier had much joy down the left hand side throughout the game. Shaw will have to keep working hard to get his performances back up to the required standard for United.
Marcel Sabitzer: 4/10
Sabitzer came in for the suspended Casemiro and was selected ahead of Brazilian Fred. The Austrian midfielder, who scored 2 goals for his nation over the break, was poor and lacklustre throughout the 90 minutes. United lost the midfield battle and lacked energy in the centre of the park.
Bruno Fernandes: 5/10
Fernandes showed sparks of why he is so highly rated in this game, with some creative passes and strong tackles. However, the Portuguese midfielder seemed to direct most of his attention at the referee with miserable claims for free kicks and penalties in United’s way.
Scott McTominay: 5/10
The Scotsman started today’s game playing just behind Weghorst, however, he failed to have little impact and in the second half started as the deeper midfielder. McTominay was largely non-existent with a display that showed nothing of the man who scored four goals for Scotland in the international break, including two to beat Spain.
Antony: 5/10
Antony is a skilful footballer there is no doubt about that, however the Brazilian winger needs more to be a success at United, often failing to have impact on games.
Today, when he did beat Dan Burn, he would provide nothing of quality. The Brazilian often tries the speculative, which hinders rather than helps his game.
Wout Weghorst: 4/10
The dutchman was largely non-existent today, failing to use his physical stature to any use. The striker quite obviously does not have the ability to be United’s long-term striker, and it will be interesting to see in the summer, who they get in to replace him.
Marcus Rashford: 4/10
Rashford certainly won’t be adding anything from this game to his season’s highlights, while getting 14 goals and five assists this season, he did nothing today of any note.
Man United Substitutes
Jadon Sancho: 3/10
Borussia Dortmund’s former star and highly rated England youngster is yet to show United fans what makes him so good. While he showed flashes of brilliance this season, he needs to start to become a more regular and consistent performer, with his 30 minutes of football today being uninspiring and unnoticeable.
Anthony Martial: 3/10
Martial, like Sancho, was brought on in the 62nd minute and, like Sancho, had no impact on the game. Ten Hag isn’t exactly spoilt for choice up top, with both Martial and Weghorst showing little to Ten Hag of why they should be selected more often.
Victor Lindelöf: 4/10
Lindelöf came on to sure things up at the back, but failed to do this with United shipping another goal. Wilson easily shoved off Rashford and then beat Lindelöf to the header to double Newcastle’s advantage.
Facundo Pellistri: 4/10
Uruguayan born Pellistri made his 3rd appearance for United today, but was given little time to make an impact, only being brought on in the 83rd minute.
Fred: 4/10
Fred was again brought onto the pitch late on, but did little to overcome the Newcastle United midfield. With the player’s contract expiring in the not too distant future, it will be interesting to see whether Ten Hag sees the Brazilian in his long term plans.
