Newcastle vs Manchester United LIVE score and goal updates as Longstaff hits bar – Manchester Evening News, Manchestereveningnews.co.uk

50 ‘- NUFC 0-0 MUFCDominic Booth

47 ‘- NUFC 0-0 MUFC

Second half underway

Things can only get better. Or can they?

Maguire’s first half

Harry Maguire’s headed miss aside , he was arguably United’s best player in a forgettable first half.

Second half upcoming

No prizes for guessing that the comments section on this post is like.

https://www.instagram.com/p/B3SINbRIl2H/

Half-time player ratings

De Gea– Little to do.(6)

Dalot– One decent delivery, otherwise. not at it.5

Tuanzebe– Assured.7

Maguire– Key block but missed a sitter.6

Young– No impact.5

McTominay– Quiet.5

Fred– A liability. (3)

James– Not got into the game.5

Rashford– Nigh-on anonymous.3

Pereira– Had an attempt on target.4

Mata– Swamped.4

Maguire misses

Harry Maguire misses a sitter as he sends a free header wide from just six yards out after Ashley Young’s corner.

United won’t get many better chances than that one this afternoon.

Chances at both ends

A last-gasp block from Harry Maguire denies Miguel Almiron before Andreas Pereira works himself a yard of room at the other end before sending a shot from 25 yards straight at Martin Dubravka.

Smash and grab on the cards

Solskjaer spoke about the need to win this game, even if it was an ugly undeserved three points. On this evidence, a smash and grab 1-0 victory is about the most United can hope for. Newcastle are the better side.

United struggling with Newcastle press

Newcastle’s press has been highly effective, but you have to question if United’s players have the tools, or tactics, to bypass it? Dalot has been swamped by Saint-Maximin, McTominay has had three black and white shirts around him when receiving possession and Rashford has hardly had a kick. A good team would know how to get round the press, but United aren’t looking like a good team. Far from it.

McTominay escapes red card

Scott McTominay is booked for a studs-up lunge on Sean Longstaff after Newcastle’s fans and players asked Mike Dean to brandish a red card.

A VAR check confirms no obvious error was made by Dean and the original decision is upheld.

Rojo warming up once more

Rojo’s warming up again. You have to wonder whether that’s tactical more than enforced, seeing as no one appears to be obviously injured and United are not performing. They are as miserable to watch as the weather and Newcastle’s enterprise is not surprising in the slightest.

Longstaff hits the bar

No, not the one United were interested in.

Matty Longstaff is making his Premier League debut today and he’s just almost opened the scoring with a thumping volley from outside the box that cannoned off the top of the crossbar and behind.

Moments later Fabian Schar should give the hosts the lead but his near-post header from a corner lands on the top of the net.

Rojo warming up

Ah, just the calming influence United need …

Pereira showing his lack of quality once more

Andreas Pereira is not a right winger, which is some key context when one considers worse United right wingers in my lifetime. Bebe, no doubt, though even he managed the odd goal during his competition winner run of games. Solskjaer has just spoken to Pereira but his management of him is tantamount to inertia. Nothing ever changes.

United struggling on the slick surface

It is often said that greasy playing surfaces tend to favor the better footballing sides but that hasn’t applied to United here thus far.

Pretty much all of the players are struggling to control the ball in these conditions.

Perhaps they should no longer be considered one of the better footballing sides – their results so far this season certainly suggest they shouldn’t be.

Poor first 15 from United

So far , so inauspicious for United. No flicker of dissent from Geordies after last week’s Leicester debacle and the pre-match video of their 5-0 thrashing of United from 1996 may have got them in the mood. A United coaching staff member tried to make himself heard but we were struggling to hear him up here. McKenna and Solskjaer have both addressed things that weren’t up to standard. United haven’t been, in these first 15 minutes.

United’s supporters in good voice

United fans keeping themselves amused, amid the apathetic performance from their side so far, by singing songs about Alan Shearer. The Gallowgate strangely quiet considering how bright and confident their team have looked in the opening minutes.

United overrun in midfield early on

United are already being exposed in midfield. Newcastle are playing with a back three and a box of four in their midfield, which at times is causing a 4v2 in the middle of the park, with Juan Mata pushed up into the No. 10 role. United have conceded two set-pieces in the opening few minutes, fouling players who threaten to expose their back four.

(Kick-off) ************************

We are underway at St James’ Park.

Conditions to suit United?

It’s absolutely teeming down with rain as the players emerge from the tunnels, though that’s not stopping either set of fans making themselves heard. You’d think a slicker grass surface would suit United – and prevent any grumblings from Solskjaer about the pitch, like there were before and after the AZ Alkmaar clash. Here we go.

Pedestrian warm-up for the substitutes

Can’t say United’s substitutes are warming up with a huge amount of gusto. The four youngsters: Greenwood, Gomes, Chong and Williams are playing a gentle game of ‘keep up’ while Nemanja Matic appears to be by himself and going through the most pedestrian warm-up, a la Anthony Martial last season. It’s damp and chilly on Tyneside, so you’d think a strenuous warm-up would be in order. David de Gea is the first player to head into the dressing room after saving a few fierce shots delivered by Richard Hartis.

(A wet one on Tyneside)

Nemanja Matic was difficult to pinpoint during the warm-up, since he is wearing coaches’ kit. United fans can provide their own punchline to that sentence.

It is so wet up here ladies are using tea towels to mop up the puddles on seats and tables. You would imagine Pereira will be on the right again. Why? Nobody but Solskjaer knows. A 4-3-3 would maybe suit United more but we’ll have to wait and see if that emerges.

Solskjaer speaks to Sky Sports

More on Lindelof’s injury:

“It was the pitch. It was his back that locked in the last few minutes. We hoped he was going to recover, he actually traveled here today. ”

On going into the international break off the back of a win:

“Today is important, of course, because we haven’t had the results we wanted to. To send the players away after a good result would be great. We need to go out there and play as a team and play with enthusiasm. ”

On what concerns him the most about United’s struggles:

“The injuries that you miss players. You can’t really work on set patterns too much. For me, my focus is on solutions to this game [against Newcastle]. We’ve got to look for solutions, the players that come back will come back when they do, we’ll work with the ones that we do have and it’s a great group to work with. ”

On Axel Tuanzebe starting alongside Harry Maguire in central defense:

“He’s been brilliant since his first day in pre-season so absolutely no worries.”

Two United players need to step up

It is ridiculous United could end the day just four points behind City. It was noticeable just how depleted the squad is that, when United arrived, there were one or two cheers for ‘names’; Solskjaer and Maguire. It is a United squad lacking quality and belief and at least five first-teamers (Lindelof, Wan-Bissaka, Shaw, Pogba and Martial). Seniors like Mata and Rashford really need to step up today.

Solskjaer explains Lindelof absence

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer revealed why Victor Lindelof is not in United’s matchday squad against Newcastle.

Solskjaer toldMUTV:

“That’s injuries. Victor and Jesse got injuries against Alkmaar on that pitch. Paul obviously didn’t travel. So we’ve just got more concerns on the injury front but that doesn’t matter now, we’ve got 11 out there who have been playing together. Diogo is new, did well against Alkmaar and he’ll be better for the 90 minutes. ”

Another unbalanced line-up

The big question – for the umpteenth time this season – is who will start on the right wing? Andreas Pereira seems to have been given the nod for the foreseeable future, without ever truly convincing. Juan Mata has often been farmed out there during his United career, though looks better as a No. 10. Pereira will probably play there again, but it’s a lop-sided United team once again.

Another chance for Fred

So lskjaer talked Fred and McTominay up as a partnership the other week. Fred has been terrible in his last couple of starts but Matic was the alternative.

You would think Lindelof is carrying an injury. Tuanzebe fully deserves to start and Lindelof has been quite poor this season, but he was all right at Alkmaar and his omission from the entire squad is a jolt.

Confirmed: United start ing line-up

Mason Greenwood still awaits his first Premier League start of the season .