A goal to rejuvenate a football team and perhaps to kick start a season. A goal to remind the naysayers that there is beauty still to be found in the Premier League.
Newcastle were not supposed to win this game. Not after having a player – Jacob Ramsey – sent off unjustly for a dive that never was just before half-time. Once the Manchester United midfielder Casemiro equalised an Anthony Gordon penalty that had quickly followed the red card, it seemed inevitable that Eddie Howe’s team – in such poor form of late – would wither.
But despite all the over-reactive talk of falling standards and levels of entertainment, football at the top level remains wonderfully unpredictable and not only did Newcastle somehow retain the upper hand against a poor United team that looked short of ideas, they struck to win the game right at the end of a second half in which they played with courage and – from somewhere – energy.
It was when a United attack broke down in the 90th minute that Newcastle wrote the final line of this rather up and down 98 minute story.
Kieran Trippier sent young substitute Will Osula away down the right and, after almost falling and just about having kept the ball in play, the 22-year-old cut inside to curl a fabulous shot in to the far corner from 18 yards with his left instep. United goalkeeper Senne Lammens never dived and it was hard to blame him. The shot was just too good. In fact it was perfect.
Bedlam followed at St James Park and no wonder. The decision to send Ramsey off after he fell under a challenge from Lammens in the first minute of first half added time had simply been wrong.
William Osula’s stunning strike in stoppage time gave Newcastle victory over Man United
Jacob Ramsey was given a second yellow card for simulation in a controversial incident
Defeat at St James’ Park is Michael Carrick’s first since he replaced Ruben Amorim at United
From the summer, under a change in the laws, VAR will be able to review yellow cards awarded in error. But for now Newcastle were stuck with this one and showed great fortitude to come back and win against a United team who reminded us just how limited they can be just when it seemed the door to Champions League qualification was swinging wide open.
The Gordon penalty – awarded after a foul by Bruno Fernandes – followed Ramsey’s dismissal almost immediately but then, soon after, Casemiro headed in a free-kick at the near post and Newcastle seemed a long way from a result with a long second half stretching out ahead of them. But the truth is that they continued to be the better team. United were pretty wretched and, as it happens, were only just beginning to threaten against tiring opponents when Newcastle scurried away on the counter to strike the fatal blow.
Newcastle had been bright and purposeful early on. They showed no sign of the low confidence that seems to have infiltrated their football recently. With Nick Woltemade absent completely – said to be ‘unwell’ – Gordon once again played down the middle and was a threat. Either side of him Harvey Barnes and, occasionally, Anthony Elanga provided support while Joelinton, the Brazilian, was a powerful presence running from deep. United struggled to cope. They looked ragged and were perhaps fortunate their opponents didn’t score sooner.
Trippier struck a post with a far post cross and Lewis Hall volleyed the rebound over. Elanga struck a far post volley wide while Barnes had time and space from 18 yards but couldn’t find the target, as indeed Sandro Tonali couldn’t with a snap shot from similar distance.
United, in such good form recently, were becalmed and passive. Bryan Mbeumo did put a good chance over while Kobbie Mainoo was denied from distance by a flying Aaron Ramsdale save. But it was only when the temperature began to rise and game became fractured that Carrick’s team emerged as a real presence.
We were not short of contentious decisions. Dan Burn caught Luke Shaw with an elbow and on another day could have walked. Then Joelinton was booked and responded by sarcastically applauding referee Bankes with both hands above his head. Had Bankes seen him he too may have been in trouble.
Bankes, it must be said, never gave the impression he was completely in control of things. It didn’t really seem as though Ramsey had dived and replays showed he simply fell over. It was a shocker.
Newcastle’s response to all that happened just before half time was impressive. Gordon remained a threat with the directness of his play though he did miss a good chance in the 65th minute, only volleying wide when a clever corner routine found him peeling off unmarked at the far post in front of the Gallowgate.
There were a couple of promising set pieces, too, and a VAR check for a handball against Mainoo that was rightly cleared very quickly.
Osula’s dramatic winner sparked bedlam and ensured Newcastle claimed a deserved victory
United made changes but couldn’t get going. There were signs of frustration, too, from Fernandes and Matheus Cunha in particular. Neither player would win marks for patience, no matter the depth of their ability.
The main hope for the visitors as we reached the final 15 minutes of regulation time was that Newcastle’s ten men would tire. Indeed when Ramsdale dropped to save Leny Yoro’s header at this stage it was the first thing the Newcastle keeper had done since picking the ball out of his net a good while earlier.
A United goal felt possible. It’s the kind of thing they have started to do under Carrick. But not this time. Not for them. The best team won this one.
