Manchester United is the king of Boxing Day. Nobody has won more than him on this important day in the Premier League calendar and, despite being very weak this season, he managed to reign in a very important duel against Newcastle, who deserved to draw but now the European zone, which Eddie Howe’s team aspires to (1-0), is further away.
It was the first trial by fire without Bruno Fernandes, injured for a month, and he overcame it with a lot of suffering against an Old Trafford that celebrated, but did not like the team at all in the second half. Rúben Amorim surprised by changing the scheme in the absence of the Portuguese. He introduced Ugarte in his place and started playing 4-2-3-1, with Dorgu as an improvised right winger and, on the opposite side, Cunha wide. A play that had every chance of going wrong, but which unexpectedly found its key player in the Dane.
Two absolutely different times from both teams. The first bet was for Manchester United. Unknown was Newcastle, which in the loss was unable to develop its renowned pressure after loss. Beyond a first stop from Lammens to Bruno, the most dangerous chances were for the ‘red devil’. A couple of approaches and Dorgu scored. A volley that caught Old Trafford and Ramsdale off guard. He hooked it after a bad clearance by Woltemade and smashed it into the back of the net (24′).
Manchester united
10
newcastle
1.- United Manchester: Lammens; Dalot, Martinian Lysandro (Fredricson, min. 88), Heaven, Shaw (Malacia, min. 88), Dorgu; Cunha, Casemire (Yoro, min. 61), Ugarts, Sword (Fletcher, min. 45); and Sesco (Syrkey, min. 60).
0.- Newcastle: Ramsdale; Miley, Thiaw, Schar, Hall; Tonali (Willock, min. 77), Bruno Guimaraes, Ramsey (Joelinton, min. 68); Murphy (Barnes, min. 68), Woltemade (Wissa, min. 68) y Gordon. Goles: 1-0, min. 24: Dorgu.
Referee: Anthony Taylor. He showed a yellow card to Shaw (min. 69) and Cunha (min. 94) for Manchester United and Tonali (min. 73) for Newcastle.
Incidents: match corresponding to the eighteenth round of the English Premier League played at Manchester United’s Old Trafford stadium in front of nearly 65,000 spectators.
see match sheet
The second half, however, United, or rather Amorim, undid everything good about the first half. Starting by removing Mount from the team to put a Fletcher who did nothing. And the Portuguese coach did not make a single move with the changes. Zirkzee was a ghost after coming on for Sesko, who had a chance and hit the crossbar and the team was not able to hold the ball for more than two seconds, radically different from the first half. Newcastle took advantage to dominate and rain crosses into the area from a Lammens who did not have to intervene too much. He was shocked by a shot from Hall that hit the woodwork and was brave in the exits. Howe’s team did not have any clear answers, which only due to intentions deserved to find the goal in a weak match, a perfect representation of this strange Boxing Day.
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