Alexander Isak and Joelinton scored early headers to secure a 2-0 victory for Newcastle United over Manchester United at Old Trafford on Monday, marking a dismal finish to 2024 for the Red Devils and increasing pressure on manager Ruben Amorim.
Just two months into his tenure, Amorim admitted that his position is at risk unless the team’s results improve. With only two wins from his first nine Premier League matches, United now find themselves in 14th place, just seven points above the relegation zone.
Isak and Joelinton’s goals came within the first 19 minutes, as Newcastle extended their winning streak to five matches and climbed to fifth place in the standings. Amorim watched helplessly as his side struggled to keep pace with Newcastle’s dominance.
Isak opened the scoring after just over three minutes, heading in a cross from Lewis Hall for his sixth consecutive Premier League goal. United lacked the influence of their suspended captain Bruno Fernandes, with Newcastle’s midfield trio of Sandro Tonali, Bruno Guimarães, and Joelinton controlling the game against the veteran duo of Casemiro and Christian Eriksen.
Isak missed a chance to double the lead, fluffing a chip over goalkeeper Andre Onana, and had a goal ruled out for offside. It wasn’t long, however, before Joelinton added a second, heading in a cross from Anthony Gordon.
Frustrated by his team’s performance, Amorim made an early substitution, bringing on Kobbie Mainoo for Joshua Zirkzee in the 33rd minute, a move that was met with cheers from the Old Trafford crowd.
Tonali almost made it 3-0 when he hit the post after a fast-paced Newcastle move, but United had their moments, too. Rasmus Højlund missed a golden opportunity to pull one back, firing wide when he was one-on-one with goalkeeper Martin Dubravka, and Casemiro wasted another chance after Fabian Schär gifted possession to Mainoo.
After a stern half-time talk, United showed improvement in the second half, with Harry Maguire’s header hitting the post and Hall blocking a follow-up from Matthijs de Ligt. Despite being available for the first time in five games, Marcus Rashford remained on the bench, with Amorim turning to Alejandro Garnacho to make an impact.
However, by the time Garnacho was introduced, Newcastle had regained control of the match, securing a third consecutive home league defeat for United, the first such streak since 1979. Amorim now faces the threat of continued losses into 2025, with a tough trip to Premier League leaders Liverpool next on the horizon, followed by an FA Cup third-round match against Arsenal.
