They celebrated Kevin Keegan with a glistening pre-match mosaic at St James’ Park. Newcastle were a goal shy of paying homage to Keegan’s 5-0 team in 1996.
Manchester United famously overhauled a 12-point deficit against Keegan’s Newcastle earlier that year but it is mathematically impossible this season. Newcastle are 18 points better off than United and this was the first time they have done the domestic double against them since 1930-31. It was a far more significant game for Newcastle than their visitors
For United, 14 Premier League defeats is not insignificant. Neither is the -7 goal difference or 14th-place status they have sunk to. They have matched the same number of losses as last season and still have six league fixtures left.
Reaching that portentous statistic felt inevitable some time ago. However far United advance in the Europa League, it cannot alter plans for what has to be a drastic rebuild. The league is their yardstick and United are miles away from the elite, never mind yards.
This match was so inconsequential for United there were empty sections in their away end. “We can see you sneaking out,” goaded the Geordies as the 80th minute loomed, shortly after Bruno Guimaraes made it 4-1. Plenty of spare tickets were floating around. Even the matchgoers are prioritising Europe and two potential visits to Bilbao.
So is Ruben Amorim. He has belatedly embraced the Jose Mourinho strategy of conceding defeat in the league to go all-in on the Europa League. Andre Onana’s complete absence from the squad was softened by the inclusions of Victor Lindelof and Christian Eriksen, players certain to be released in the summer, and the teenage full debutant Harry Amass. Altay Bayindir had never played in the Premier League before.
For the best part of an hour, United’s performance betrayed the rotation and inconsequence of the fixture for them. Even with five changes against a team unchanged for the fifth match running, there was a clear and consistent style.
With Amorim and Bruno Fernandes as demanding as each other, there was a laudable sharpness about United’s play. Amass, predicted to debut as far back as the Community Shield in August, made up for lost time with an accomplished maiden career start. His intent drew applause from Amorim.
Injury to Joshua Zirkzee in the 55th minute prompted Amorim to raise the white flag, even at 2-1. He made a reactionary three changes and the mind switched to Lyon on Thursday. Even the indefatigable Fernandes got a breather in the final ten minutes.
Jason Tindall, in his element as the de facto manager in the absence of the unwell Eddie Howe, flashed his full-beam smile at the crowd repeatedly. There was none of the needle between the dugouts that existed when Erik ten Hag was in charge. Amorim wisely kept his distance from Howe’s assistant.
Amorim slapped his thighs at an early errant pass by Eriksen, selected in the absence of a more suitable midfielder to come in and give Casemiro a rest. Eriksen’s creativity did spark one of the moves of United’s season between Zirkzee and Fernandes, who exchanged an elegant one-two before Zirkzee side-footed too close to Nick Pope.
That was at 0-0. The better United played, the more irked Amorim became, doubtless dissatisfied that the scoreline had not changed. Then it did through Sandro Tonali. Like Rasmus Hojlund’s in France in midweek, Zirkzee’s miss became costly.
Amorim was frequently on Manuel Ugarte’s case, hollering “Manu”. ‘Man on’ would have been more effective when Ugarte was pressured into gifting Newcastle the ball for them to work it into the area for Tonali to put Newcastle ahead.
At an early Newcastle goal kick, Fernandes demanded Ugarte to push into the final third but he refused to. Amorim then ordered him to. Ugarte remained reluctant, instead preferring to hold the fort. He was powerless against the Newcastle battering rams.
Tonali’s volley unsettled United. Bayindir was ordered to place his long goal kicks down the middle for a withdrawn Zirkzee. That experiment ended before it had started and the contest started to play out as expected.
Zirkzee was more effective on the deck. It was through his nonchalant running that he pulled up in the 55th minute. He had pulled his hamstring. Amorim put his hands to his head.
United were instructed to play the ball back to Bayindir at kick-off and his punt immediately ceded the ball. Soon there was a miscommunication with Lindelof. Bayindir’s indecisive distribution gifted Guimaraes a goal. United are unlikely to deviate from the plan to recall Onana against Lyon.
For half-an-hour, Alejandro Garnacho was a lightweight among heavyweights. After Newcastle extracted the ball off him in front of the dugout, he complained to the linesman during the next stoppage, almost seeking pity. Garnacho was playing his way out of the team for the second leg. Then he played his way back in it.
His equaliser was another goal that underscored United’s baby steps under Amorim. Diogo Dalot, responsible for the assist, and Patrick Dorgu have become far more creative of late and Dalot tallied a second assist in four league games. His defending was the problem for Harvey Barnes’ winning goal.
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