Newcastle vs Man United LIVE: Impressive Magpies thrash ‘weak’ visitors to go fourth in Premier League
Newcastle United 4-1 Manchester United: Harvey Barnes scored an impressive double before Altay Bayindir’s error was punished by Bruno Guimaraes
Newcastle United thumped Manchester United 4-1 to go fourth in the Premier League and claim their first league double over the Red Devils since the 1930s.
Harvey Barnes scored twice in the second half, either side of goals from Sandro Tonali and Bruno Guimaraes, as Newcastle leapfrogged Manchester City and Chelsea and took a huge step towards securing a Champions League spot for next season.
With manager Eddie Howe in hospital, Newcastle made a bright start and opened the scoring when Tonali volleyed in Alexander Isak’s clever dink. Alejandro Garnacho equalised before half time but Barnes scored a quickfire double after the restart.
Ruben Amorim took the decision to rest Andre Onana after his errors against Lyon in midweek but it did not stop another goalkeeping mistake as Altay Bayindir’s misplaced pass was punished by Guimaraes for Newcastle’s fourth.
The visitors remain 14th and their season now hinges on Thursday’s Europa League second leg against Lyon, with Joshua Zirkzee a major doubt after limping off in the second half with a hamstring injury. Follow all the Premier League reaction with our live blog below:
Jason Tindall: 'Eddie Howe was able to watch the game'
"I've just seen a message from him [Eddie Howe] congratulating us,” Tindall told Sky Sports. “He was able to watch the game, and I'm sure it lifted his spirits.
"He trusted the decision we'd make, we've been working together for a long time. He was able to communicate earlier on in the week, then put his trust in everyone to put in a performance he'd be proud of, and the boys delivered.
"We had to make a couple of tweaks at half-time, we were a few yards off on our press. The lads went back out and delivered their tactical executions superbly well."
Bruno Fernandes says United lack bravery
"There's not much to assess, we lost the game,” he told Sky Sports. “In the first half we did good, in the second half we couldn't keep up the way we wanted to play.
"We know that it's been a tough season, nothing to add to that. Our position in the table is not where this club belongs, but unfortunately we are not getting the results. We need to look forward as we have a big game coming up, we need to clear our heads and go for it.
"We are in this position because we have not been consistent in the performances we put out. We lack being more fearless, being more brave. Today was not the case because we ended up conceding goals by trying to be brave.
"It's easy to criticise because this club has never suffered like this, so it's normal. You have to be aware you play for United and criticism will be there.”
Ruben Amorim addresses criticism
"I understand but I don't care,” he told Premier League Productions. “Nothing is worse than losing games.
“People can say whatever they want to say. I don't want to defend myself or anything like that. If you look at our position in the table, it says it all.
“Thursday is really important. Losing games is the hardest part by far of this job. Let's focus on Thursday.”
'We won it for Howe'
"When we went to the pitch we said we will play for him (Howe),” Bruno Guimaraes told Premier League Productions after full-time.
“He has been part of our success, he's been unbelievable for us. We missed him on the training ground this week.
“Hopefully it gave him happiness and he's back for the next game. It's been a tough week for him."
Report: Ruben Amorim’s tenure at Man United condensed into one sorry afternoon at Newcastle
Manchester United’s league form this season has been so bad that their remaining domestic fixtures, with a sensational relegation avoided, pale in insignificance in comparison to their efforts on the continent.
That fact will not make events at St James’ Park on Sunday any easier for Ruben Amorim to stomach after witnessing his entire tenure in England condensed into 90 miserable minutes in the north east.
It appears bursting the Newcastle positivity bubble is going to take some doing, with Harvey Barnes’ double inspiring the buoyant hosts, who celebrated tackles with a jubilant St James’s as if they were goals, to a fifth successive win in all competitions.
Full report from St James’s Park, courtesy of Pete Hall:
Amorim’s tenure at Man Utd summed up by Newcastle thumping
Man United's goalkeeping woes only worsen
Altay Bayindir could have stamped his mark as the man who should be starting in between the sticks for United after Andre Onana was left out of the squad.
Not to be for the Turkish international.
Newcastle storm past dismal Man United to boost Champions League hopes
Roy Keane: 'Man United are physically and mentally weak'
A brutal assessment of Ruben Amorim’s side from the United legend.
FULL-TIME! Newcastle 4-1 Manchester United
Newcastle regain their place in the top four with an emphatic win over Manchester United, whose Premier League woes continue.
Sandro Tonali got the Magpies on their way before Alejandro Garnacho pegged them back before the break with a tidy counter-attack goal.
However, it was all Newcastle after the break, with a Harvey Barnes brace being added to by a simple finish by Bruno Guimaraes, capitalising on another goalkeeping error for United.
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