English Premier League: Newcastle deepen gloom for United
Red Devils suffer second home defeat of the week after losing 1-0 to visitors
MISERY: Defending champions Manchester United endured their third in eight outings this season after losing 1-0 to Newcastle. PHOTO: AFP
LONDON:
Manchester United’s dismal season lurched into crisis on Saturday after a 1-0 loss at home to Newcastle United condemned the champions to their fifth defeat of the season.
Yohan Cabaye’s goal just after the hour gave Newcastle their first victory at Old Trafford since 1972 and consigned United to back-to-back home defeats in the league for the first time since May 2002.
Having lost 1-0 to Everton on Wednesday, United have now lost as many games as they did in the whole of last season’s title-winning campaign and David Moyes’s side could fall 15 points behind leaders Arsenal before the weekend is out.
United were without Wayne Rooney through suspension, but they restored Robin van Persie to their starting XI and saw Phil Jones test visiting goalkeeper Tim Krul with an early shot.
Newcastle’s five-man midfield frustrated United though, and it was the visitors who came closest to breaking the deadlock before half-time, with David de Gea thwarting Mathieu Debuchy twice in first-half stoppage time.
United attacked the game with renewed vigour in the second period, but they saw Krul save from Javier Hernandez and Adnan Januzaj before a header from Patrice Evra hit the post.
Newcastle hit the champions with a sucker-punch in the 61st minute, with Moussa Sissoko galloping down the right flank after winning a duel with Evra before cutting the ball back for Cabaye to sweep home.
Moyes responded by introducing Anderson and Antonio Valencia and handing Wilfried Zaha a league debut from the bench, but despite sporadic late pressure, an equaliser would not come.
Van Persie had a close-range header ruled out for offside and Zaha curled narrowly wide, leaving Newcastle’s jubilant fans to taunt Moyes with crowing chants of “You’re getting sacked in the morning!”
Everton set crosshairs on leaders Arsenal
The strength of Arsenal’s grasp on top spot in the league will be tested on Sunday when Manchester United’s latest conquerors Everton visit the Emirates Stadium.
Everton know that a win would take them to within just four points of Arsene Wenger’s side.
“They have played many of the big teams in the league and overall are in a very strong position in the league,” said Wenger of Everton.
“They have just come out of a win against Manchester United. We are lucky this season a little bit, because there is always a big warning before we play these teams, because they have exceptional results.”
While Arsenal have twice tasted defeat this season, and both United and City have been beaten on four occasions, Everton have lost just once, at City on October 5.
Former Everton midfielder Mikel Arteta has been impressed by his old side’s recent form and believes that their victory over United suggests they could be on the verge of a breakthrough campaign.
“It was a big result [at United], it was massively important for them and will boost their confidence, so we are going to face a really difficult team for sure,” he said.
Manchester United’s dismal season lurched into crisis on Saturday after a 1-0 loss at home to Newcastle United condemned the champions to their fifth defeat of the season.
Yohan Cabaye’s goal just after the hour gave Newcastle their first victory at Old Trafford since 1972 and consigned United to back-to-back home defeats in the league for the first time since May 2002.
Having lost 1-0 to Everton on Wednesday, United have now lost as many games as they did in the whole of last season’s title-winning campaign and David Moyes’s side could fall 15 points behind leaders Arsenal before the weekend is out.
United were without Wayne Rooney through suspension, but they restored Robin van Persie to their starting XI and saw Phil Jones test visiting goalkeeper Tim Krul with an early shot.
Newcastle’s five-man midfield frustrated United though, and it was the visitors who came closest to breaking the deadlock before half-time, with David de Gea thwarting Mathieu Debuchy twice in first-half stoppage time.
United attacked the game with renewed vigour in the second period, but they saw Krul save from Javier Hernandez and Adnan Januzaj before a header from Patrice Evra hit the post.
Newcastle hit the champions with a sucker-punch in the 61st minute, with Moussa Sissoko galloping down the right flank after winning a duel with Evra before cutting the ball back for Cabaye to sweep home.
Moyes responded by introducing Anderson and Antonio Valencia and handing Wilfried Zaha a league debut from the bench, but despite sporadic late pressure, an equaliser would not come.
Van Persie had a close-range header ruled out for offside and Zaha curled narrowly wide, leaving Newcastle’s jubilant fans to taunt Moyes with crowing chants of “You’re getting sacked in the morning!”
Everton set crosshairs on leaders Arsenal
The strength of Arsenal’s grasp on top spot in the league will be tested on Sunday when Manchester United’s latest conquerors Everton visit the Emirates Stadium.
Everton know that a win would take them to within just four points of Arsene Wenger’s side.
“They have played many of the big teams in the league and overall are in a very strong position in the league,” said Wenger of Everton.
“They have just come out of a win against Manchester United. We are lucky this season a little bit, because there is always a big warning before we play these teams, because they have exceptional results.”
While Arsenal have twice tasted defeat this season, and both United and City have been beaten on four occasions, Everton have lost just once, at City on October 5.
Former Everton midfielder Mikel Arteta has been impressed by his old side’s recent form and believes that their victory over United suggests they could be on the verge of a breakthrough campaign.
“It was a big result [at United], it was massively important for them and will boost their confidence, so we are going to face a really difficult team for sure,” he said.