Manchester United easily dispatched Newcastle 4-0 on Saturday at St. James’ Park, as Juan Mata bagged a double to compound the Magpies miserable run of three-straight defeats without scoring.
Mata put United ahead in the first half with a sumptuous free kick, then the Spaniard scored his and United’s second after a wonderful flowing move after the break. The superb Shinji Kagawa then set up Javier Hernandez for the third and Mata sublimely played in Adnan Januzaj for their fourth, as United prepared for the second leg of their UEFA Champions League quarterfinal against Bayern Munich on Wednesday in style.
David Moyes rested David De Gea and Nemanja Vidic amongst others, and his side dazzled against a despondent and downbeat Newcastle outfit.
With the win Man United have moved into the top six but have played a game more than Tottenham below them. Newcastle stay in ninth after another disappointing display.
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In the 11th minute Marouane Fellaini took the ball down in the box after a corner and smashed a shot goalwards, but a foul was given just before Phil Jones smashed the ball into the back of the net. No goal.
Manchester United started the brighter of the two teams, as their much changed lineup looked to impress their manager before the big Champions League clash against Bayern Munich. With that game in mind, Ashley Young suffered what looked like a dislocated finger early on and Adnan Januzaj replaced the English winger in the opening stages.
Newcastle’s first chance of the game came courtesy of Papis Demba Cisse’s acrobatic overhead kick, which Anders Lindegaard saved comfortably but the home fans inside St. James’ were buoyed by their home sides intent. Soon after Newcastle were almost ahead, as Cisse’s flashing header was wonderfully tipped over by Lindegaard as the duo continued their personal duel.
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But Man United went ahead before the break, as Dan Gosling brought down Darren Fletcher on the edge of the box and gave away free kick. From that set piece Mata stepped up to curl home a fantastic effort up and over the wall and into the top corner to put Man United ahead., as the Spaniard scored for the second-straight PL game. Just before the break the visitors almost went 2-0 up, as Shinji Kagawa played in Javier Hernandez who ran clean through of Newcastle’s defense but his shot was tipped onto the post by Rob Elliott.
After the break United doubled their lead, as Mata slotted him his second goal of the game. Kagawa played in Hernandez who unselfishly teed up Mata, who shifted the ball superbly onto his right foot as Coloccini dove in, before slotting the ball into the net to put the Red Devils 2-0 ahead.
In the 64th minute it was 3-0 as Chicharito finished off another incisive move from the Red Devils. Kagawa was again the architect, as he played the ball across goal to the Mexican striker who steered the ball home from close range to extend United’s lead.
The rest of the game petered out with Newcastle trying to score, but Lindegaard kept them at bay. Januzaj then put some gloss on the scoreline, as the young winger played a fabulous one-two with Mata, who back-heeled the ball into his path and Januzaj hammered the final nail into Newcastle’s coffin.
LINEUPS
Newcastle United: Elliot; Santon, Williamson, Coloccini, Haidara; Anita, Gosling, Tiote, Gouffran (Ameobi, 85'); de Jong (Ben Arfa, 61'), Cissé
Manchester United: Lindegaard; Valencia, Jones, Smalling, Evra (Buttner, 64'); Young (Januzaj, 17'), Mata, Fletcher, Fellaini (Nani, 70'), Kagawa; Chicharito.
Goals: Mata (39' & 50'), Hernandez (64'), Januzaj (90')