No Man United player would get into Newcastle XI, Amorim has problems everywhere

“It used to be significant beating them”.

This was probably the most damning of the many indictments thrown against Manchester United here at St James’ Park.

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It came from a Newcastle United fan of many years standing and now sitting. It was a verdict delivered on his way from his seat after the final whistle and it was unarguable.

He’d seen all the great teams of the Sir Alex Ferguson era, back when Manchester United were a force in the land, not 14th in the table, sliding to their lowest ever points total in the Premier League.

He’d known when the team from Old Trafford were a team to be feared, when Paul Scholes was smashing in hat-tricks (2003) and when Wayne Rooney and Ruud van Nistelrooy were charging around in front of the Gallowgate scoring freely (in 2004 and 2005).

Now the men in red have got Joshua Zirkzee at no.9, a no.10 wearing No.11 and limping off with a damaged hamstring.

Manchester United fans high up in the Leazes End had a good view of the sea in the distance and a team all at sea below. They were such a contrast to Newcastle, a collective of hard-working responsibility-takers.

Who at the back in red showed the leadership and defensive resilience of Dan Burn? Who demonstrated the midfield fight, dynamism and goal threat of Tonali, the best player on the pitch? Who displayed the fearlessness and directness of Harvey Barnes, the second best player on the pitch? Nobody.

Even Bruno Fernandes, who does care, who does fight, even he was subdued. “There’s only one Bruno,” chanted Gallowgate in celebration of Bruno Guimaraes.

“Barnes, Barnes, will tear you apart again,” they sang of their no.11, who struck twice. And he probably wouldn’t have started had Anthony Gordon been fully fit.

None of Manchester United’s XI would get in the Newcastle side, and most would struggle to get on the home bench.

Newcastle are so well-organised and united by Eddie Howe that even in his absence through illness they simply went about their well-rehearsed work confidently.

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Each player knew his role. And fulfilled it. Each one knew the standards expected. And met them.

Newcastle are hurtling upwards towards the Champions League, and deservedly so.

They could have eased up after ending a 70-year wait for a major trophy but have rolled on, playing with verve, collecting points.

Their opponents are on the slide, and only winning the Europa League will get them back in Europe.

And only substantial investment in the squad, as well as a major clear-out, will guard against sustained pain in the Champions League.

Wherever you look at Manchester United there are problems.

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The mass redundancy programme has inevitably damaged morale of those staff that remain. The continued presence of the Glazers understandably angers fans. The ticket price hikes trigger widespread protests.

And those are just the off-field issues.

Manchester United’s problems are very obvious. They are playing a 3-4-2-1 system that doesn’t suit some of their players.

Alejandro Garnacho scored but he’s a winger not a hybrid No.10. A central midfield of Christian Eriksen and Manuel Ugarte is too slow, especially when set against the swarm of Tonali, Bruno Guimaraes and Joelinton.

Eriksen was a fine player but he’s 33 and not equipped for the storms that rage in modern midfields.

Leny Yoro is more comfortable as the right-sided centre-back, and endured a torrid afternoon as the left of the three (partly, in mitigation, as he was looking after Harry Amass, who is only 18).

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Victor Lindelof should not be in the squad, let alone the team.

The change of goalkeeper, Altay Bayindir stepping in for the dropped Andre Onana, made little difference.

Bayindir made one good save, four or five commanding aerial takes, but eventually succumbed to the low level of his teammates’ display by gifting Newcastle their fourth.

The few positives included Shaw coming on for his first appearance since December 1.

He’s so injury prone, and fast approaching 30, that Ruben Amorim can’t really rely on him. Pity. When fit, and sharp, there are few better left-backs around than Shaw.

Wing-back might be too challenging, and he came on as left-sided centre-back here (with a relieved Yoro shifting right).

Kobbie Mainoo had seven minutes against Lyon, and eight here, gradually rebuilding his fitness after suffering what the club called a muscular problem in training in early February.

Manchester United struggled to live with Newcastle’s pace and physicality from the start. Joelinton bulldozed through Ugarte, Zirkzee and Dalot in one run. Newcastle’s pressing was relentless.

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The visitors struggled to find any space. Ugarte, Zirkzee and Lindelof were given no room in the 24th minute, surrendering the ball to Newcastle. Alexander Isak lifted the ball over Yoro for Tonali to volley Newcastle ahead.

Amorim’s side offered brief threat on the counter, and Zirkzee combined well with Fernandes but was denied by Nick Pope.

They did score an unexpected equaliser after 37 minutes. Ugarte sent Diogo Dalot flying inside, and the wing-back slipped the ball right to Garnacho. The 20-year-old did brilliantly, finally having some space to attack, and he placed a low shot past Pope.

It was against the run of play, and, even more surreally, the visitors could have gone ahead if Chris Kavanagh and the VAR Peter Bankes looked more closely at Tonali’s shove on Dalot early in the second half.

Any life went out of Manchester United when Tino Livramento flew past Dalot, and Isak crossed the ball back for Barnes’ first after 49 minutes.

His second arrived 15 minutes later. Noussair Mazraoui slipped, Barnes drove through the middle, far too swift and strong for Eriksen, Lindelof and Yoro before beating Bayindir.

The Turkish keeper appeared so in shock that, 13 minutes later, he presented the ball to Joelinton, who teed up Guimaraes for the coup de grace.

Newcastle completed their first league double over Manchester United since 1931. Now that’s pretty significant.

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