Newcastle crush Man United to climb to fourth in Premier League

Sharjah 24 – Reuters: Newcastle United surged to fourth in the Premier League with a dominant 4-1 win over Manchester United, who suffered their 14th league defeat of the season — matching their worst-ever campaign total since 1989-90.

Howe absent, but Newcastle unshaken

Despite manager Eddie Howe being in hospital due to illness, Newcastle showed no signs of slowing down. They took the lead in the 24th minute through a superb volley from Sandro Tonali, showcasing their continued momentum.

Garnacho responds, but Newcastle run riot

Manchester United hit back with a quality counterattack goal from Alejandro Garnacho in the 37th minute. However, Harvey Barnes restored Newcastle’s lead early in the second half and added a second in the 64th minute.

An error from debutant goalkeeper Altay Bayindir gifted Bruno Guimaraes a late goal to seal the rout, moving Newcastle above Manchester City in the table.

Manchester United’s troubles deepen

The defeat leaves Manchester United in 14th place and marks a historically poor season. They have now been beaten both home and away by four teams this season — the most since the 1957-58 campaign.

Captain Bruno Fernandes admitted, “Our position in the table is not where this club belongs, but unfortunately we are not getting the results.”

United's lineup changes and early promise

Manager Amorim made five changes to the United side, keeping Thursday’s Europa League clash with Lyon in mind. Early signs were promising, with Joshua Zirkzee forcing a fine save from Nick Pope after linking up with Fernandes.

Newcastle punish defensive lapses

Alexander Isak created the opener with a precise lofted ball for Tonali. While Garnacho’s equalizer brought temporary hope, Newcastle’s aggression and movement in the second half overwhelmed United’s defense.

Tino Livramento’s run set up Barnes’ second goal, with the winger going unchallenged. Joelinton later intercepted Bayindir’s clearance to assist Guimaraes for the fourth.

A win for Howe’s spirit

Assistant manager Jason Tindall said after the match:
“Me and Eddie have worked together for 17 years, and in that time he's never missed more than a day or two, so he must have found it hard to be missing this week. We went out and delivered a performance he would be proud of.”