Man Utd 3 – 2 Newcastle

Amad Diallo and Rasmus Hojlund helped Manchester United to a 3-2 win against Newcastle at Old Trafford to move level on points with the Magpies.

Kobbie Mainoo’s opening goal was enough to put Erik ten Hag’s side in front at the interval, but Anthony Gordon leveled things early in the second half in an entertaining contest that was full of chances at both ends of the pitch .

Amad restored the lead, firing home his first Premier League goal from the edge of the box before Hojlund came off the bench to double the lead. Lewis Hall’s goal made for a nervy finish, but goal difference alone now keeps Newcastle in seventh place.

What fun the game was

Newcastle started the game confidently, with Manchester United looking tentative, but the hosts came closest before opening the scoring, with Alejandro Garnacho’s angled shot well saved by goalkeeper Martin Dubravka.

Ten Hag’s side didn’t have to wait long, with Mainoo making the breakthrough just after the half-hour mark. Amad’s pass somehow slipped to the midfielder, who calmly slotted the ball into the net, being played wide by Kieran Trippier.

That prompted renewed pressure from the Magpies. Sofyan Amrabat was unlucky not to concede a penalty after catching Gordon, while the much-maligned Casemiro cleared off the line to deny Dan Burn’s header soon after.

Newcastle equalized after the restart, Jacob Murphy’s cross finding Gordon after Amrabat lost possession. But the Manchester United midfielder made up for it with a crucial block to deny Alexander Isak putting the visitors ahead minutes later.

It proved significant because it followed Amad’s spectacular intervention. The young winger has had to be patient in waiting for his opportunities this season, but is proving a stronger option than Antony. It was a wicked strike from the edge of the box.

Newcastle pressed on and the game was so open that there was never a sense that the scoring was over. Gordon came close to finding a second equalizer when he danced past Casemiro but dragged his shot inches wide of Andre Onana’s far post.

It took a substitution at Ten Hag to take the game back from Newcastle. Hojlund was dropped for the game but his impact was instant when he came on, holding off Burn’s challenge to beat Dubravka with a firm right-footed shot.

Hall’s effort from distance set up a tense finale but there was no further drama and Howe’s men must wait for a top seven finish. Ten Hag and his players are keeping that hope alive and now have some joy to take them to the FA Cup final against Manchester City.

Ten Hag’s speech to Man Utd fans

The Ten Hag addressed the crowd at the ground after what was Manchester United’s final home game of the season.

“On behalf of the players, the staff and myself, I want to thank you all for your brilliant support during the season,” he said.

“As you know, it has not been an easy season, but one thing has remained constant. This was your support for the team.

“But this season is not over yet. First we travel to Brighton where we go for three points and then we go to Wembley.

“And I promise you these players will give it their all… All – to take the cup and bring it back to Old Trafford.

“And we’re sure you’ll be there supporting us. Thank you. You’re the best supporters in the world. Thank you.”

Ten Hag defends Man Utd’s season

“I see the positives. I see this team developing,” Ten Hag said Sky Sports.

“I know the reasons why we are not performing. No team will perform when the entire back four is not available for the whole season. The holding midfielder is not available. Even the striker, Rasmus Hojlund, has been injured three times. (Marcus ) Rashford, also injured.

“We had problems throughout the season and that has a negative impact on the results.

“But on the line, you see players performing, you see players progressing, like the youngsters, and that’s very positive.

“There is great potential in this club. We all know it. People can see it. Kobbie Mainoo. Garnacho. Diallo. Hojlund. There are players who have class, along with experienced players with class, like Bruno, for example. Andre. Onana.

“I can go on. Licha Martinez. Luke Shaw. You can also say Diogo Dalot is having a fantastic season, Scott McTominay has had a very good season as well.

“There are a lot of positives this season, but I can’t mention this one. You know why? At the end of the day, we have to win trophies. And in the Premier League and the Champions League, we didn’t do as well as people in the US expected.”

Gordon: Get rid of VAR or improve

Gordon was caught by Amrabat inside the penalty area in the first half and the result was a tear in his sock and an injury to the back of the winger’s ankle, but the contact was not deemed sufficient to warrant an intervention by VAR.

“I watched it and it’s a clear penalty,” Gordon said Sky Sports.

“I don’t mind the referee making the wrong decision on the pitch, but I don’t understand what the point of VAR is then. It is there to correct mistakes.

“Amrabat takes my Achilles off and then pushes me in the back. Casimiro gets the ball but there are two fouls before that. I just don’t see the point in (VAR).

“I knew straight away. That’s why I didn’t appeal because I didn’t mind the referee not giving it. It’s quick. But I’ll wait for the VAR to check. You can see me telling my teammates it’s a clear penalty.

“Then we go on and I’m out of socks. How can that be?”

The controversial call comes after Wolves revealed they have called for a Premier League vote to scrap VAR for the 2024/25 season. It will take a further 13 clubs to agree for the change to take place. Gordon’s response when told was interesting.

“It’s a big decision,” he said.

“Actually I really like it, I like the idea. It should work, but it doesn’t. There are constantly too many mistakes. We missed too many chances to blame it on something else, but we could go 1-0 up . and the game changes.

“It’s a clear and obvious mistake. I don’t know how you can go wrong. Either get rid of it or make yourself better, it’s simple.”

Match in statistics

• Newcastle’s games have scored 141 goals this season. It is the fourth of all teams in a single Premier League campaign and the most since Liverpool in 2013-14.
• Manchester United have conceded 58 goals in the Premier League this season, the most in a single campaign in the competition.
• Rasmus Hojlund scored his first Premier League goal as a substitute as his strike came just 106 seconds after being brought on – marking the eighth-fastest substitute goal in the competition this season.
• Amad Diallo is the youngest African player to score and assist a goal in a Premier League game since Kelechi Iheanacho for Leicester against West Brom in March 2018.
• Anthony Gordon is only the fourth Newcastle player to score goals home and away against Manchester United in a Premier League campaign.

What’s next?

The last day of the Premier League season sees Man Utd visit Brighton Sunday, start at 16.00.

at Newcastle the latest push in their chase for European football sees them visit Brentford at the same time.

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