Newcastle deepens United gloom
Print Edition
Champion Manchester United crashed to a second home defeat in four days and out of serious contention for this season’s English Premier League title after losing 0-1 to Newcastle United at Old Trafford yesterday.
A well-taken 61st-minute goal, stroked in from 10 meters by French midfielder Yohan Cabaye, dealt United its first home defeat to Newcastle in 41 years and delighted visiting boss Alan Pardew.
Pardew, who has guided Newcastle to five wins in six league games on a climb to sixth place, plotted a perfect plan for his team which subdued their hosts, controlled possession and seized victory with elan.
“It’s one of the top moments for me in my time here — it’s been 41 years we’ve been waiting,” he told BT Sport television. “It was a magnificent performance. I know we won’t get the headlines because of United and poor old David Moyes.
“But we deserve them because our players were magnificent.”
The home side, without suspended England striker Wayne Rooney and showing seven changes from the one defeated by Everton by the same score on Wednesday, was easily subdued by well-organized visitors who triumphed with few alarms.
It was the first time United had suffered back-to-back home defeats since May 2002 — and Moyes’ third loss as manager in eight home games this season — and the result left United ninth, 12 points behind leader Arsenal, which was hosting Everton today.
The first victory for the Magpies at Old Trafford since February 1972 lifted them above Tottenham Hotspur into contention for a top-six finish, four points above the champion.
“It’s tough for David Moyes,” added Pardew. “I thought events worked against him with no Rooney today. He’s a great person and a great manager and the best thing this great club can do is to stick by him.”
United threatened briefly at the end of the first half and early in the second, when a Patrice Evra header hit a post, before French midfielder Moussa Sissoko’s angled pass gave Cabaye his chance to put the visitors ahead.
Recalled Dutch striker Robin Van Persie had a goal disallowed, but lacked sharpness as his team extended its winless league run to four games.
Moyes used all three of his substitutes, including giving a Premier League debut to England winger Wilfried Zaha, to no avail as Newcastle coolly retained possession and control.
“It could have been much better,” lamented Moyes. “We were needing a goal to give us confidence. We did not create enough.”
Asked if his team was out of the title race, Moyes said: “I stand firm that we will be close to it and be in there or around at the end of the season.”
- About Us
- |
- Terms of Use
- |
-
RSS - |
- Privacy Policy
- |
- Contact Us
- |
- Shanghai Call Center: 962288
- |
- Tip-off hotline: 52920043
- 沪ICP证：沪ICP备05050403号-1
- |
- 互联网新闻信息服务许可证：31120180004
- |
- 网络视听许可证：0909346
- |
- 广播电视节目制作许可证：沪字第354号
- |
- 增值电信业务经营许可证：沪B2-20120012
Copyright © 1999- Shanghai Daily. All rights reserved.Preferably viewed with Internet Explorer 8 or newer browsers.
