Nov 18, 2017 at 5.30pm UK at ​Old Trafford
Man UtdManchester United
4-1
NewcastleNewcastle United
Martial (37'), Smalling (45'), Pogba (54'), Lukaku (70')
Smalling (67')
LIVE
Gayle (14')
Hayden (12')

Live Commentary: Manchester United 4-1 Newcastle United

Live Commentary: Man Utd 4-1 Newcastle
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Follow live coverage of Manchester United's Premier League clash with Newcastle United with Sports Mole's minute-by-minute updates from Old Trafford.

Good evening and welcome to Sports Mole's live text coverage of the Premier League clash between Manchester United and Newcastle United.

Jose Mourinho's side have won all eight of their home fixtures this season - by an aggregate of 32-1 - and have only lost one of 32 against the Magpies at Old Trafford.

The Red Devils could start the game 11 points behind leaders Manchester City following their defeat to Chelsea last time out and will be determined to cut that gap.

Newcastle have made a solid return to the top flight upon their promotion from the Championship, but are chasing a big scalp that would invigorate the Toon Army.

Make sure you don't miss a minute of the action with our minute-by-minute updates below.


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87 minBenitez can't be too disappointed with this display from his side, who matched United in the first half but have been completely cut to pieces by their attacking play since the interval. There is not much that you can do when Pogba, Lukaku, Martial and Rashford are all on song.

84 minSUBSTITUTION: Final change of the game as Ander Herrera replaces Spanish compatriot Mata.

82 minUnited have been electric this second half but are now slowing things down and seeing out this result at a canter. It will have been a busy international break for most of this squad and they can now afford to take their foot off the gas.

79 minCLOSE! Shelvey nearly catches De Gea out with a low shot which goes just wide of the post.

77 minSUBSTITUTIONS: Martial is the man to make way as Zlatan gets a standing ovation from the home fans. Benitez also makes his final change, bringing on Mohamed Diame for goalscorer Gayle.

75 minThis second half has been a spectacle for the Old Trafford crowd and they are about to get another treat with Zlatan Ibrahimovic stripped and ready to make his first appearance in nine months.

72 minSUBSTITUTIONS: A change apiece from the two managers, with Pogba replaced by contract rebel Marouane Fellaini after a dazzling 70 minutes, and Mitrovic on for Joselu up top for Newcastle.

70 minUnited have a fourth and Lukaku has his goal! He starts the move himself on the right wing, cutting inside and exchanging passes with Mata, before a weak challenge from Clark gives him the freedom of the area to take his time and smash the ball past Elliot from 10 yards.

His teammates and the Old Trafford crowd celebrate with him, and that will be a weight off Lukaku's shoulders after seven games without a goal for United.


70 minGOAL! MAN UNITED 4-1 NEWCASTLE (ROMELU LUKAKU)

69 minYELLOW! Smalling becomes the first United player to enter the book today for catching Hayden on the ankle. Newcastle had earlier countered with Murphy testing De Gea from long range.

67 minSUBSTITUTION: Newcastle fans have wanted to see more of Rolando Aarons this season and the young winger finally comes on for his first Premier League appearance of the season, with his side trailing by two at Old Trafford. Yeah, thanks for that, Rafa! Matt Ritchie is the player off.

66 minGood play from Shelvey as he skips past Matic and Smalling on his way into the box, but he slips at a crucial moment and the attack dies with him.

64 minSuperb defensive header from Yedlin after United had cut open their visitors again and put another great delivery into the six-yard box.

62 minMata releases Martial down the left channel and his cross is cut out by Yedlin. United are playing some brilliant stuff in this second half - there will be no complaints from the home fans this evening.

60 minLukaku gets away from Lejeune but this time his cross is a few yards ahead of Rashford who would have had a simple tap-in had the ball been of better quality. A once-solid Newcastle defence is now being pulled all over the place by this pacey and direct United attack.

58 minPogba tries an overhead kick from a United corner. He is loving this after a couple of months of watching Mourinho park the bus.

56 minThat Red Devils goal came after Newcastle's first real forward venture of the half. Young made a good interception and then started the attack by spreading it to Lukaku. It was a very classy counter from the hosts.

54 minPaul Pogba has got the dance moves out to celebrate scoring on his return to action, but this goal is all about the vision and technique of Rashford. Lukaku peels off to the right and crosses to his strike partner, who could go for goal but instead tees up Pogba from four yards with a delightful cushion header.

54 minMAN UNITED 3-1 NEWCASTLE (PAUL POGBA)

52 minMartial versus Yedlin on the Newcastle right is like watching an Olympic sprint team have a knockabout. The United forward beats his opposite number for pace this time but knocks his left-footed cross too deep and it goes behind for a goal kick.

50 minMore deviously quick feet from Pogba sends Lukaku to the byline and his cutback finds Martial, but the Frenchman gets himself into a bit of a mess at the near post and Newcastle can clear the danger.

48 minRashford has moved up top alongside Lukaku and nearly sets up the Belgian immediately with a clever knockdown from Pogba's lofted pass. Elliot is off his line quickly to quell the danger after Manquillo failed to follow the run from Lukaku.

46 minKICKOFF: The action is back underway with both sides unchanged from the first half...

6.34pmLUKAKU REPORT: It hasn't been as good from Lukaku, who has squandered a couple of decent chances as he looks to end his seven-match club drought. The Manchester United striker wanted a penalty at the end of the first half but gave Ciaran Clark as good as he got in the shirt-tugging stakes.

6.32pmPOGBA REPORT: It has been a pretty seamless return for Pogba so far. He has probably been United's best player and produced a quality bit of skill and cross to set up Martial's equaliser.

6.30pmA reminder that Manchester City's 16th straight win in all competitions earlier today put them 11 points clear of United, who cannot afford to be dropping any points this evening so will want to kill this one off ASAP.

6.28pmNewcastle had posed as much of an attacking threat as their star-studded host for much of the first half, and should still be able to play on the break in the second as United will come at them looking for a decisive third goal.

6.26pmAfter going behind to Gayle's opener, the Red Devils found it difficult to break down Newcastle's two banks of four. It took two outstanding delivieries from Pogba and Young to supply Martial and Smalling with United's replies.

6.24pmI told you that this fixture never disappoints! It has been a really entertaining first half at Old Trafford, with Newcastle taking an early lead and Man United fighting back to take a lead into half time, although Isaac Hayden should have put the visitors back on level terms in stoppage time.

45+3 minHALF TIME: MAN UNITED 2-1 NEWCASTLE

45+3 minCHANCE! The visitors really should be level but Hayden shoots straight at De Gea from eight yards, having worked the opening really nicely for himself. Joselu's rebound deflects off Gayle and wide of the post. Glorious chance for Newcastle as the half comes to an end.

45+2 minNewcastle can't get through to half time as they take the lead in stoppage time through an unlikely source. Ashley Young's delivery, on his weaker left foot, is outstanding and Smalling, who had stayed up following a corner, powers home a header at the back post past Elliot.

45+2 minMAN UNITED 2-1 NEWCASTLE (CHRIS SMALLING)

45 minUnited want a penalty as Lukaku goes down in the six-yard box under the challenge of Clark, while trying to get onto Young's cross. Clark had some of his shirt but Lukaku looked just as guilty.

44 minSHOT! Newcastle work the ball across the box nicely to tee up Shelvey for a left-footed thunderbolt which would have troubled De Gea had it not been straight at the United keeper.

43 minLejeune pulls off an audacious back-heel on the edge of his own box. He's a Newcastle defender if ever I've seen one, but has certainly got himself out of a couple of tight spaces in style today.

41 minCLOSE! United take a corner short and Young's delivery is headed onto the roof of his own net by Joselu. Nervy moments for Newcastle who will be desperate to hear the half-time whistle.

40 minReally important tackle from Clark as Martial jinks his way through a couple of challenges.

39 minThat goal shouldn't change too much from a Newcastle perspective. They will continue to sit back and try to hit United on the break, as they do here but again the shot from Murphy is easy pickings for De Gea.

37 minPogba makes his presence felt with a wonderful assist for Martial as United equalise. Some silky footwork gets Pogba away from Hayden and Martial gets a run on Yedlin to climb above the Newcastle defender and head the cross down into the bottom corner.

37 minGOAL! MAN UNITED 1-1 NEWCASTLE (ANTHONY MARTIAL)

36 minNewcastle goalkeeper Rob Elliot stays down following a collison with his own left-back Manquillo. The Republic of Ireland international is clutching his knee but looks as though he will be okay to continue.

34 minMata is finding it difficult to get any space in the pockets, with Shelvey and Hayden holding very disciplined positions in front of the back four. It is Rashford who is coming deep to collect the ball, and that is not where United want the pacey forward.

32 minPogba is frustrated to be penalised for a foul on Manquillo in the middle of the park. It has not been the return that the Frenchman would have hoped for so far although he has been United's standout player.

30 minMurphy is caught dwelling on the ball in the centre circle and United break through Lukaku, but the winger makes amends by keeping up with the Belgian and blocking his cross behind for a corner.

28 minBenitez has got Newcastle very well drilled and United are finding it hard to break them down. They have one of the best defensive records in the league and that goal has given them something to cling onto.

26 minCHANCE! Lindelof joins in a United attack and stands up a beautiful ball for Lukaku, who can't get over his header. That is a couple of decent chances already for the striker.

24 minGayle is fine to continue, having put Newcastle into this surprise lead. He was prolific for the Magpies in the Championship last season and he will hope this goal will get him going in the Premier League.

22 minNewcastle continue to be the more threatening team, with Ritchie coming in to the penalty area for a header which is blocked by Lindelof. Ritchie can't halt his momentum and catches Gayle on his way through, leaving the striker needing some treatment from the medical staff.

21 minRashford has had a couple of shots from distance but both have been well off target. Very little from Martial or Lukaku so far, despite the Belgian recovering some confidence with three goals for Belgian over the international break - making him his country's all-time leading scorer.

19 minCLOSE! Better from Murphy as he makes a run in between Smalling and Young which Shelvey picks out with a nicely-weighted pass. The angle is against him but he has De Gea scrambling across his line with a shot which finishes only a couple of yards wide of the post.

18 minNewcastle have a really good opening on the break which Murphy wastes with a tame left-footed shot at De Gea from 25 yards, when Ritchie was unmarked on the edge of the area in a much better position.

16 minUnited look for an immediate response as Pogba finds Mata in space with a neat reverse pass. By the time the Spaniard cuts back onto his left foot, Newcastle have packed the box and clear through Clark.

14 minNewcastle take a shock lead through Dwight Gayle's first goal of the season, but it is another horror moment for Lindelof. DeAndre Yedlin goes on a brilliant run down the right and cuts a ball back towards the near post, where Lindelof slips to allow Gayle to side-foot home via the woodwork.

14 minGOAL! MAN UNITED 0-1 NEWCASTLE (DWIGHT GAYLE)

12 minYELLOW: Hayden takes a booking by hacking down Mata as the Spaniard threatened to get away on the counter-attack, after intercepting a pass from the Newcastle midfielder. That is now five bookings this season for Hayden, who will miss the visit of Watford next weekend.

11 minNewcastle have a couple of early corners, from which the absent Lascelles is usually very dangerous. His replacement Clark gets up to meet Shelvey's delivery but can't keep his header down.

9 minJuan Mata seems to have shaken off an early knock to continue for the Red Devils, who had Jesse Lingard warming up. Mata will be keen to impress having got a chance at the expense of Henrikh Mkhitaryan.

7 minCHANCE! Great opportunity for Lukaku to end his barren run, with Valencia played in down the right and squaring for the striker, who blazes over first time from no more than 10 yards out.

5 minNewcastle will be fairly pleased with the way they have started although the hosts are enjoying a decent spell of possession now, with Pogba having a couple of nice touches before taking a clattering from Isaac Hayden.

3 minLindelof will want to get through this game unscathed after a difficult Premier League debut against Huddersfield, so won't be thanking David de Gea for a casual back-pass which forced him into a rushed clearance. That won't help any nerves that the Swede might have.

1 minKICKOFF: Newcastle get the action underway in their famous black and white stripes, and get down the left early only for Joselu's cross to bounce off Ritchie and go behind for a goal kick.

5.28pmPREDICTION: Hollywood actor Will Ferrell has predicted a 10-0 Newcastle victory for this one. I don't think the Magpies will be laughing at the end of this one though, having lost 3-0.

5.26pmHEAD TO HEAD: The Magpies will be encouraged by the fact that they held United to a 0-0 draw on their last trip to Old Trafford. However, Newcastle have lost this fixture 84 times in all competitions - more than against any other side in their history.

5.24pmLascelles will be a big miss for Newcastle today. He is a leader and warrior as well as being a good defender, and is also the club's joint-top scorer with two league goals. The visitors will be looking to sit in tight but keeping United out without Lascelles is going to be a very big ask.

5.22pmThe middle of the Premier League table is getting more and more compact every week, with three points now separating 16th and eighth. A shock victory today would see Newcastle leap to the top of that pile. Burnley are the only team keeping up with the top six - what a job Sean Dyche is doing.

5.20pmWith Shelvey and Matt Ritchie in midfield, Newcastle have the creative outlets to make chances for the strikers, but Joselu, Perez, Gayle and Mitrovic only have four goals between them in 32 top-flight appearances this season. They are badly lacking a top-class centre forward.

5.18pmNewcastle have only scored three away goals in five league matches this season, failing to find the net in three of those. Surprisingly though, they are the second most creative away side in the league behind Manchester City, averaging nearly 16 shots per away game.

5.16pmThe Magpies made an impressive start upon their return to the Premier League with three successive wins throughout August and September, but the Tyneside outfit have only won one of their last six top-flight games, losing their last two by a 1-0 scoreline.

5.14pmAround 15 minutes until kickoff at Old Trafford, where Newcastle have only won on one of their last 32 league visits, although that was as recently as 2013 courtesy of Yohan Cabaye's solitary strike.

5.12pmPogba's return after two months out with a hamstring injury gives United's midfield a dynamic that it has missed in his absence. The Frenchman is not only a physical specimen but is a crucial link between midfield and attack and creates a lot of chances for Lukaku, whose goals dried up without him.

5.10pmIt is a landmark day for United captain Antonio Valencia, who makes his 300th Premier League appearance - his first also came against Newcastle, for Wigan Athletic in 2006. Three more outings and the Ecuadorian will pass former Magpie Nolberto Solano as the leading South American in Prem history.

5.08pmWhat will the return of Ibrahimovic do for his out-of-sorts teammate? Might his presence on the bench motivate him to return to his best form, or is the Swede's shadow big enough to engulf Lukaku entirely? Zlatan, who last played against Anderlecht in April, will want his starting place back.

5.06pmMuch of that tension has been surrounding the form of Lukaku, who is now seven games without a goal, having registered just five shots on target during this period. The Belgian had enjoyed an electric start to his United career, with 11 goals in 10 matches after joining from Everton for £75m.

5.04pmHowever, United have hit a bit of a rocky patch, in the Premier League at least, over the last month. They have lost two of their last three games in the Premier League, which as many as in the previous 37 combined, and the relationship between Mourinho and the fans is a little animous.

5.02pmMourinho's men are the only side in the five major European leagues yet to concede a top-flight goal at home this season. The only time their defence has been breached on home turf this term was a 90th-minute consolation against Burton Albion in the Carabao Cup in September.

5.00pmThe Red Devils are unbeaten in 22 league games at Old Trafford. That run has contained 10 draws but they have won the last six without conceding a goal. The last time Manchester United won seven consecutive home league games without conceding was between December 2009 and March 2010.

4.58pmVictory for Rafa tonight would see him create history as the first Premier League manager to win at Old Trafford with three different teams, having conquered the famous stadium with Liverpool and Chelsea already. This United side have been imperious at home all season though, as we will prove...

4.56pmBenitez has more wins over Mourinho (five) than any manager other than Pep Guardiola (eight). This has included two Champions League semi-finals and an FA Cup semi-final. However, the Newcastle boss has also lost five league games to Mourinho - only enduring more against Sir Alex Ferguson (eight).

4.54pmThis is the first time since 2007 that Mourinho and Benitez have lined up in opposing dugouts, having struck up a classic Premier League rivalry during their reigns at Chelsea and Liverpool respectively. The Spaniard would love to get one over on 'The Special One' this evening.

4.52pmRESULTS: Manchester City have thrown the gauntlet down for United with a 2-0 victory at Leicester City, which takes them 11 points clear at the top. Chelsea have also won this afternoon - thrashing West Brom 4-0 - to send the Red Devils down to third before kickoff at Old Trafford.

Check out the 3pm scores from across the country in our comprehensive results section.


4.50pmDwight Gayle gets the nod ahead of Ayoze Perez as strike partner to Joselu, and the travelling Geordie faithful will be pleased to see Aleksandar Mitrovic on the bench as the Serbian has not been involved too much of late.

4.48pmCiaran Clark deputises for Lascelles in defence, while Benitez offers a huge signal of faith to midfielder Jonjo Shelvey by giving him the armband for the afternoon. Jacob Murphy is in for his first start since September, still looking to make any sort of impact after arriving from Norwich City.

4.46pmNewcastle make two changes from the side which lost to Steve Cook's 90th-minute goal against Bournemouth last time out, both of them enforced with captain Jamaal Lascelles and winger Christian Atsu joining new crowd favourite Mikel Merino in the treatment room.

4.44pmMourinho reverts to a back four after going with a three-man defence in the defeat to his former club Chelsea a fortnight ago. Ashley Young continues to be preferred to Luke Shaw and Matteo Darmian at left-back. The one-time forward's career is enjoying quite the second coming in that position.

4.42pmAs well as Pogba and Ibrahimovic, defender Marcos Rojo is back on the bench after a long-term layoff. Phil Jones is injured and neither Eric Bailly or Daley Blind are in the squad - both likely to be fitness related also.

4.40pmSummer signing Victor Lindelof makes his first Premier League start in central defence. The Swede's previous top-flight appearance was as a substitute against Huddersfield Town when a couple of costly errors led to a shock defeat.

4.38pmMy word that is an exciting United lineup, with Pogba back in the middle of the park and the trio of Anthony Martial, Marcus Rashford and Romelu Lukaku up top - the first time they have started together in the Premier League this term.

4.36pmNEWCASTLE: Elliot; Yedlin, Lejeune, Clark, Manquillo; Ritchie, Hayden, Shelvey, Murphy; Gayle, Joselu
Subs: Darlow, Gamez, Mbemba, Diame, Aarons, Perez, Mitrovic

4.34pmMAN UNITED: De Gea; Valencia, Smalling, Lindelof, Young; Matic, Pogba, Mata; Martial, Rashford, Lukaku
Subs: Romero, Rojo, Shaw, Fellaini, Herrera, Lingard, Ibrahimovic

4.32pmIt is #Pogback2 at Old Trafford tonight, with Paul Pogba back in the United starting lineup. Zlatan Ibrahimovic is also on the bench for the first time this season in a massive double fitness boost which should get the Theatre of Dreams rocking. Here comes the full teams news...

4.30pmEvening ladies and gents and welcome to Sports Mole's coverage of a Premier League fixture which rarely disappoints as Manchester United host Newcastle United. This instalment has some extra spice to it, with Jose Mourinho and Rafael Benitez reigniting their old rivalry.

Newcastle United manager Rafael Benitez reacts during his side's Premier League clash with Liverpool at St James' Park on October 1, 2017
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Tables
TeamPWDLFAGDPTS
1Manchester CityMan City1211104073334
2Manchester UnitedMan Utd128222762126
3Chelsea1281323101325
4Tottenham HotspurSpurs127232091123
5Liverpool126422417722
6Arsenal127142216622
7Burnley12642129322
8Brighton & Hove AlbionBrighton114341111015
9Watford114341721-415
10Huddersfield TownHuddersfield12435817-915
11Newcastle UnitedNewcastle124261114-314
12Leicester CityLeicester123451618-213
13Bournemouth124171114-313
14Southampton12345914-513
15Stoke CityStoke113351322-912
16Everton123361224-1212
17West Bromwich AlbionWest Brom12246918-910
18West Ham UnitedWest Ham112361123-129
19Swansea CitySwansea12228715-88
20Crystal Palace12129624-185
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