Man Utd are in freefall and Newcastle chant could become reality if it continues
How much longer can Manchester United allow this crisis to go on?
The clocks have only just gone back and Erik ten Hag's side have lost eight of their 15 games this season, five of them at Old Trafford.
This latest spineless showing, three days after their 3-0 meek capitulation at home to local rivals Manchester City, confirmed United are a club mired in turmoil. United's stance has been that Ten Hag's position is not under threat, but this losing streak cannot continue. Something has to give - and the buck always stops with the manager.
Newcastle's 7,000-strong support taunted Ten Hag with chants of “Sacked in the morning” and, while that might be premature, if he cannot halt this slide, he will soon be on his way. Ten Hag told his players before the game not to feel sorry for themselves and but this sulking display epitomised everything that is wrong with the club and why it is in freefall.
The players are not playing for Ten Hag, there is no spirit and Fulham will fancy their chances of compounding United's misery on Saturday when they host them in the lunchtime kick-off. There are no such problems for Eddie Howe's Newcastle, who exacted revenge for defeat by United in last season's final with an ebullient performance that earned them a deserved win.
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Howe made eight changes, but even with such a major reshuffle of his personnel, with fringe players who have barely featured this season, his side was too strong for Ten Hag's flops. Hannibal, booked early on, was lucky not to receive a second yellow and a subsequent red for an ugly challenge on Emil Krafth – just back after a 14-month lay-off – after 16 minutes.
Casemiro, who seemed hell-bent on adding to three red cards since joining United last season, was also booked inside 20 minutes, after a cynical foul on Joe Willock. Newcastle dominated possession, frustrating United, who lacked fluency in their play and any kind of plan, and it was no surprise when the Toon took the lead just before the half-hour mark.
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It was another miserable night at Old Trafford for Man Utd (Michael Regan/Getty Images)Alejandro Garnacho lost the ball cheaply to Tino Livramento, who was allowed to breeze past Mason Mount and Hannibal, before playing in Almiron.
Almiron held off Diogo Dalot before steering an angled left-foot effort beyond the advancing Andre Onana, who was powerless to stop the ball nestling in the far corner. Ten Hag's side were still reeling from that goal when they found themselves 2-0 down, no-one picking up Lewis Hall on the edge of the area, his superbly struck first-time volley eluding Onana.
It was Hall's first goal for Newcastle and one that underlined the lack of leadership and responsibility among United's players, even with so many changes from Sunday's debacle. Mount forced a decent save from Martin Dubravka with a 30-yard effort, but Ten Hag's side were reduced to such speculative chances and rarely troubled the Toon keeper.
Ten Hag had to do something at the break and replaced Casemiro and Dalot with Sofyan Amrabat and Aaron Wan-Bissaka, although Hannibal, a booking away from a red card, stayed on. Amrabat and Wan-Bissaka certainly gave United greater urgency, but it was short-lived. Ten Hag's side ultimately lacked conviction in the final third and never looked like scoring.
United's fate was sealed a minute after the hour, when Willock surged goalwards, before unleashing an unstoppable shot into the bottom right-hand corner. Ten Hag brought on Fernandes, Marcus Rashford and Rasmus Hojlund, but it was too little, too late for United, who are facing another uncomfortable inquest.
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