Manchester United 4-1 Newcastle United: 3 Reasons Why the Red Devils won | Premier League 2019-20
Manchester United thumped Newcastle United 4-1 at Old Trafford to move into 7th position in the Premier League. The victory also meant that the Red Devils trimmed the deficit to the top four to 4 points.
The hosts started the game brightly and immediately dominated possession. However, against the run of play, Newcastle went ahead in the 17th minute when Matty Longstaff turned in the box and fired past David de Gea.
The Magpies’ joy was short-lived though as Anthony Martial restored parity just after a quarter of the encounter had passed. 12 minutes later, Mason Greenwood handed the hosts the lead when he clattered his shot past Martin Dubravka, albeit via a slight deflection.
In the 41st minute, Marcus Rashford capped off a wonderful first half showing when he towered above Fabian Schar to nod Aaron Wan-Bissaka’s cross into the net.
After the restart, Martial completed his brace when he latched onto an errant pass to clip the ball over the keeper.
United had a few chances to increase their tally but were unable to do so as the match ended 4-1 in their favour.
Here is a look at the three reasons that allowed them to post an emphatic victory.
#3 Manchester United’s front three fire in unison
For Newcastle’s visit, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer decided to field the effervescent trio of Greenwood, Martial and Rashford. And, the young triumvirate didn’t disappoint as they turned in brilliant displays, thereby enabling the Red Devils to emerge with three points.
United began the game with plenty of possession and subsequently found themselves in the opposing half quite often. However, during the early exchanges, they found the going a tad tough, meaning that the Magpies were able to contain them.
Yet, as the minutes ticked by, the hosts’ forwards grew into the game and started imposing themselves on the encounter. Unsurprisingly, the Red Devils created more openings in the final third, a passage that eventually enabled them to mount a comeback.
Greenwood looked a bundle of energy on the right flank throughout the contest and linked up effectively with Wan-Bissaka. Additionally, his tendency to cut inside allowed the full-back to overlap on the wing and create situations of numerical superiority.
On the other side, Rashford was a constant menace for the visitors as he kept finding spaces in between the lines. In the process, he was allowed the time and space to turn and run at the Newcastle defenders. Furthermore, his intricate build-up play with Martial dragged the Magpies’ rear-guard into uncomfortable areas.
However, Martial outshone his strike partners on the night as the Frenchman strung together an exceptional display, both on the ball and off it. At times, he dropped deep, meaning that he allowed runners to run beyond whereas on other occasions, he played on the shoulder of the last defender.
Moreover, akin to Greenwood and Rashford, he showcased excellent composure to clinically finish the opportunities that came his way.
Over the course of the current season, goals have been a slight problem for Solskjaer and his troops. Yet, with the Norwegian having stumbled upon a youthful solution, one reckons that that particular quandary could be eased to an extent.