Key events
Louise Taylor was at St James’ Park tonight. Here’s her verdict. Thanks for reading this MBM.
Footnote: For those interested, of which I am sure there are many, Chris Paraskevas has secured his celebratory breakfast treat. Yolk a bit runnier than last time, by the looks of it. “Big Breakfast for the Big Winners,” he writes. “Pays to be a Newcastle fan sometimes.”
“In the grand scheme of things, we’re in a decent position.” Michael Carrick not wrong, despite tonight’s defeat. Manchester United stay in third, while Newcastle edge up a place to 12th, one closer to top-half respectability.
Michael Carrick gives a calm response to TNT Sports. “We’re not happy with the way we played the game … we had it in our hands largely … credit to Newcastle … we navigated the game into a position where we felt we should kick on, but we didn’t … bitterly disappointed … I don’t think it was [facing] ten men, we just didn’t play good enough tonight … we can’t make any excuses … we all take responsibility and we know … it was the quality and the performance, it wasn’t character … it’s easy to throw that [at us] just because you don’t win a game of football … it was just general things … the quality … we weren’t there … credit to Newcastle, they deserved to win, and it hurts me to say that, but that’s how it was … we need to get back to working … we’ve lost one game … we haven’t played well enough … in the grand scheme of things, we’re in a decent position … tonight hurts because we don’t like losing games but we’ll be better for the next one … we’re a good team … we’ve had a lot of praise recently, and the boys have deserved it … we look forward to the next game.”
More from Howe on TNT, and his plan to play with ten men. “Off the ball to be compact … give them the wide areas … a lot of sliding and shuffling across … good distances between our three units … try to be a counter threat … still a threat in behind … even though you have ten, you’ve got to try to give the opposition a problem … our players delivered it really well … slowed the game down to a degree … we didn’t want it end to end … real structure … relying on set plays and counter attacks and thankfully we got one with Will at the end.”
As for Jacob Ramsey’s dismissal: “Really harsh … really clear that the intent is to dive and win a penalty … I think he’s fallen over … he’s lost his footing … anticipating contact.”
Eddie Howe speaks to TNT Sports. “We all needed that … the healthy pressures that you face here … our recent form has not what we wanted it to be … we knew the importance of today’s game … even more so with the sending off … it turned into a really famous victory for us … [Will Osula] worked on this … everybody had gone in [at training] and he said ‘I want ten more balls’ … Will has a great thirst for his own development … I’m full of praise for him … he’s got all the attributes … all the potential to be anything he wants.”
Post-match postbag. “While Fernandes is yet again the standout player for United with his sublime assists, I am mightily impressed by the dogged defending of Trippier, such quality from the 35-year old. Ramsdale also had a game and a half. And is Eddie Howe the most gifted English manager? What a substitution! Osula! Stunning finish with only ten men. Brilliant call by Howe” – Colum Fordham
“We’ve played for over a half like we were the ones with ten men, when we were against ten. Deserved loss” – Christopher Faherty
“It’s only the second time that Man Utd have lost four consecutive away games to the same team in the Premier League era. The other occasion was ended by their win at the Emirates this season” – Derek Harris
“Draft text to boss: OSULA JUST WON IT, GET THE ROLLS READY! (She has no idea who Will Osula is)“ – Chris Paraskevas
The match-winning hero Will Osula, a huge smile playing across his face, speaks to TNT Sports. “It was like the best feeling ever … I was so happy for that … when I came on … could I make something happen? … thank God, that happened! … I was practising that finish in training yesterday … cutting in and finishing … I’m happy the hard work paid off!”
What a second-half performance from the ten men of Newcastle United! Eddie Howe delighted, Michael Carrick off down the tunnel under a cloud. St James’ Park bouncing. The hosts arguably shouldn’t have been down to ten, Jacob Ramsey controversially shown a harsh second yellow just before the break for simulation; there’s no argument whatsoever about their subsequent display, though: gritty, determined, poised, and finally, thanks to Will Osula’s glorious solo goal, utterly brilliant. Manchester United were strangely muted all evening, and pass up a huge opportunity to consolidate their position in the top four. Newcastle will argue that they made sure of that. That’s a memorable victory, and a hell of a way to snap a losing run at home!
FULL TIME: Newcastle United 2-1 Manchester United
The ten men have deservedly won a memorable match with a moment of wonder from Will Osula!
90 min +8: Willock draws a foul by spinning around Fernandes, who should go into the book for spitting feathers at the referee, but doesn’t.
90 min +7: Tonali makes way for Botman. He’s been magnificent this evening. But will he end up on the winning side?
90 min +6: St James’ Park is en fête. How much extra time with Peter Bankes add? The home fans are baying for the final whistle. But it’ll not come yet, because Tonali has gone down with cramp!
90 min +5: On the touchline, Michael Carrick is the only local lad in the entire stadium looking downcast. He’s staring down the barrel of his first defeat as Manchester United’s caretaker manager.
90 min +4: Hats off to Trippier for the assist, by the way. His long pass down the right for Osula was perfectly weighted.
90 min +3: Maguire thinks he’s won a corner down the left, but the ball has come back off him. Goal kick. Celebrated almost as though Newcastle had scored another.
90 min +2: The board went up for five additional minute, by the way. But thanks to the celebrations – Osula disappeared into the Gallowgate awhile – there is sure to be more.
90 min +1: That is an absolute wonder goal. Shades of Norman Whiteside in the 1985 FA Cup final! Except this time the work of genius goes against Manchester United.
GOAL! Newcastle United 2-1 Manchester United (Osula 90)
This is a stunning solo goal! Osula intercepts a loose ball near his own box. He spins away and one-twos with Trippier, chasing after the latter’s long pass down the right touchline. He only just manages to keep it in play. He only just manages to stay on his feet while doing that. He then drifts infield, dropping a shoulder to get past Malacia, then using Maguire as a shield to curl an unstoppable effort across Lammens and into the left-hand side of the net! Wow!
89 min: Zirkzee sends an absolute pearler, rising then dipping towards the top right. It’s heading in, but Ramsdale tips around and over. Sensational play all round. The resulting corner comes to nothing.
88 min: Zirkzee dribbles dangerously down the middle. He can’t get a shot away but the ball breaks to Sesko, who has a dig that’s blocked the second it’s taken. Then another whack, this time by Ugarte. All of a sudden, the visitors have gone up a few gears, and the hosts can’t get out.
86 min: The xG advances. It’s 2.16 to 1.07.
85 min: Newcastle replace Gordon and Elanga with Osula and Jacob Murphy. Manchester United also make a change, Mazraoui having picked up a knock. He’s replaced by Malacia.
84 min: Fernandes has been Manchester United’s best player this evening. As he so often is. He swings a deep ball in from the right. Zirkzee battles with Trippier just to the left of the goal, near the byline. He looks to have won a corner, but the offside flag goes up.
83 min: Cunha dances his way down the inside-left channel and flicks a clever ball back into the road of Fernandes, who aims a first-time effort towards the top right. Always high and wide, but not by a huge distance. That would have been a lovely goal.
81 min: … and now Dalot pulls Gordon’s shirt. Gordon, who was shielding the ball near his own corner flag, takes the opportunity to go down and eat up some clock. “Manchester United, are playing with a man extra, let’s not forget,” writes Justin Kavanagh. “Although, in the eyes of all Toon fans, that man is Peter Bankes.”
79 min: Tonali swings the free kick in from the left. Lammens punches clear with confidence, under some pressure as well. Manchester United counter. Cunha goes past Trippier on the left and goes over. The referee books the Newcastle captain, who insists there was no contact, and tells it as he sees it to his opponent. An edge developing again as we move towards Business Time.
78 min: Play doesn’t restart immediately, as Ramsdale stays down stretching his leg. He eventually gets back up and takes his goal kick, after which Willock draws a foul from Dalot down the left. A free kick in a dangerous position. The home side load the Manchester United box.
77 min: Diallo and Zirkzee replace Mainoo and Mbeumo.
76 min: … but Manchester United come again, through Fernandes again. He curls in from the right. Ugarte loops a header over Ramsdale but also over the bar. For the first time in a long while, the visitors are getting on top.
75 min: Ugarte barrels after a long pass down the right. Burn telescopes a long leg to divert the ball out for a corner, then celebrates with his fans in the modern style. The set piece is half cleared, but wedged back in from the left-hand edge of the D by Fernandes, whose influence is growing. Yoro should score from six yards, but heads straight at Ramsdale, who nevertheless parries well. Newcastle clear.
73 min: Manchester United apply some pressure for the first time in the half. Mbeumo and Dalot take half-swipes at a loose ball in the Newcastle box; Fernandes swings a ball in from the left that Sesko fails to read. But that’s better from the visitors.
71 min: The xG is now 1.8 to 0.64.
70 min: An awful lot of space for Mazraoui, 25 yards out. He has to take a shot. Which he eventually does, but only after thinking about things for far too long. Blocked.
68 min: According to TNT Sports, Michael Carrick is demanding his players take it up a notch. They’ve certainly been curiously ponderous in this second half.
66 min: From the left, Tonali sends the corner long. Everyone charges to the near post … except Gordon, who has peeled off, and sticks out a leg, unchallenged, six yards out. But he can’t keep the shot on target. That would have been a lovely set-piece goal. It was a very clever move. Note to Arne: set plays can be beautiful too.
65 min: Tonali sends a lovely dipping ball to the far stick. The ball brushes Dalot and flies out for a corner. Gordon claims handball and a penalty … and VAR checks … then VAR clears. It was never a spot kick.
64 min: Elanga dribbles in from the right and is scythed down just outside the box by Mazraoui, who goes into the book … after a fashion. Peter Bankes, you old tease. A free kick in a dangerous position. Tonali to send it in.