Newcastle United smashed Manchester Reds 4-1 on a Sunday afternoon which highlighted the sheer chasm in class between the two sides.
Goals from Sandro Tonali, two from Harvey Barnes and a Bruno Guimaraes strike wrapped up a comfortable win for ‘the’ United on Sunday afternoon.
Here are our five key takeaways from the game:
- Barnes: emerges from Gordon’s shadow
What a performance it was from the former Leicester City man on Sunday as he well and truly stepped out of Anthony Gordon’s shadow in a Black and White shirt for possibly the first time. Barnes made his full back (no matter what side he played on) look bang average, much like the entire Newton Heath back line on the afternoon, whom struggled to keep up with his shadow, let alone the man himself.
Gordon has been excellent for United for 18 months and Barnes has really struggled to eclipse him, but he was sensational on Sunday and looked fitter than ever as he bagged two goals and showed just how good a finisher he is.
Behind Isak, Barnes is the second best finisher in the squad; and it shows with him now our second top scorer on eight goals. He’s filled in superbly for Gordon with three goals and two assists in his last four, giving Howe a welcome headache of who to start now both are fit and available.
- A win for Eddie
Saturday was a weird day as the news filtered through that the gaffer was in hospital, and Newcastle had a ready made excuse to completely bottle the game but the lads were never in danger of that as they put in a performance worthy of the man laid up in a hospital bed.
The lads were competitive, determined and were miles and miles better than Man Utd (who were lucky to even score a goal) as we completed a league double over the Red Devil’s for the first time in nearly 100 years.
Get well soon Eddie, that 4-1 demolition was for you.
- Only one United
You’ll never convince me that Ruben Amorim is a good manager. He has been found wanting in England, and he certainly won’t replicate fellow Portuguese Jose Mourinho in terms of success in this league, he probably won’t even match Vitor Pereira.
There’s only one United battling for Champions League and trophies and they don’t wear red… much to the chagrin of football media up and down the land but that’s not our concern.
United went man for man, which is a dangerous ploy against good players but Man Utd are as far removed from good players as it’s possible to be and Tonali, Bruno and Big Joe dominated the midfield, relegating the ‘rat toothed’ Bruno and his compatriots to mere spectators.
Call me a Premier League snob if you like but Amorim, whilst he was able to do it in the 8th best league in Europe, is an abject disappointment in the best league in Europe so far and long may it continue.
- Tonali is simply world class
Tonali is on the fast track to becoming one of the best, if not the best, central midfielders in the league. He continues to develop, he is an absolute gem, a world class performer and he is head and shoulders above so many midfielders in the Premier League right now, including his two Brazilian midfield compatriots.
Tonali continues to drive our European push as he scored perhaps his most aesthetically pleasing goal of his United career to date, dominated the midfield, ran harder than anyone else, and tackled harder than anyone else too.
The Italian clearly oozes class, technique and determination and there are not many who can live with him in the Premier League.
- Champions League is ours to lose
Only Liverpool (41) have won more points than us (36) since December, and they’ve played two more games than we have in that time period too, as United continue to go from strength to strength in the chase for Champions League football.
The win was our twelfth in 16 league matches, and five in a row in all competitions, including the cup final, of course, and frankly, another dismantling of a supposed rival.
If United win on Wednesday it will be six straight wins and we will go above Forest clear into third place and could possibly chase down Arsenal in second as they focus on the Champions League in midweek.
We are on the cusp of having the season to end all seasons, fingers crossed we can do the business against Palace on Wednesday.
Keep the faith. HWTL.
A bit too early to write Amorim off, as he has come into a squad of overpaid and over rated players with no team ethic.
It will take time, there is also a nasty atmosphere being created by Radcliffe with his know it all approach.
Tonali has been a total revelation for us and he is now starting to add goals to his game, he just has a winners mentality about him.
Livramento apart from one piece of poor positioning for their goal was immense, and Barnes showed a bit more strength which was good to see.
Still don’t think Isak is 100% and a stiffer challenge awaits in Crystal Palace, we need maximum points from our remaining home games and perhaps three from our away games to be sure of Champions League Football. HWTL
Joseph(Quote)