Miguel Almiron, Lewis Hall, and Joe Willock led Newcastle to a historic victory at Old Trafford, ending a ten-year winless streak at the stadium. Manchester United, who had recently suffered a 3-0 defeat at home, couldn’t stop the Magpies in the Carabao Cup fourth round. This match was a rematch of last season’s final, where Erik ten Hag secured a trophy after six years.
However, Manchester United’s fortunes have declined since then, with their eighth loss in 15 matches, intensifying pressure on Ten Hag and his team.
The aftermath of this match will likely focus on Manchester United’s struggles, especially after their recent derby loss to Manchester City. Nonetheless, it was a memorable night for Newcastle, as they secured their first victory at Old Trafford since 2013, a rare accomplishment given their history of poor results there.
New summer addition Tino Livramento, who showed his skills in the last game against Manchester City, sprinted down the field and set up Almiron for the first goal. Hall, a lifelong fan and a recent addition to the team, scored another goal for Eddie Howe’s Magpies before halftime. Although the home team faced criticism from their fans at halftime, they played better in the second half. Willock’s strong shot sealed the victory for Newcastle, providing some payback for their previous match at Wembley.
After the game at Old Trafford ended, some fans expressed their disappointment with jeers. The team’s coach, Ten Hag, made seven changes to the lineup, while Newcastle made eight. In the first minute of the match, Matt Targett got injured. Almiron came on as a replacement, and Hall moved to play as a full-back on the left side. This change turned out to be a good move for Newcastle as the game progressed. Initially, Ten Hag’s team seemed comfortable, but in reality, Newcastle’s players were more at risk than their opponents’ goal.
Hannibal Mejbri got a yellow card for fouling Sean Longstaff as they both went for a bouncing ball. He was lucky not to get a second yellow for a tackle on Emil Krafth. Casemiro, leading the team, also received a yellow card for fouling Willock just a few minutes later.
The home team’s lack of confidence was clear, and their performance fell apart after Livramento’s brilliant play in the 28th minute. Livramento dispossessed Alejandro Garnacho in Newcastle’s territory, raced up the wing, outmuscling the teenager, and leaving Mejbri and Mason Mount behind.
Livramento then made a perfect pass to Almiron, who got past Diogo Dalot and scored against Andre Onana under pressure. This goal led to enthusiastic celebrations from the away fans.
In response, the Red Devils tried to counterattack. Mount missed a pass from Garnacho, and a well-placed ball created trouble for Newcastle, but they managed to handle it. Regrettably, the home team’s defense faltered in the 36th minute.
Harry Maguire, unable to spot the danger on the left, cleared the ball with a header to Hall. Hall controlled the ball inside the box and volleyed it into the net, just out of Onana’s reach.
Willock’s curling attempt was saved, and the home team, who seemed stunned, finally began to show signs of life. Dalot narrowly missed a stoppage-time strike, and Martin Dubravka pushed Mount’s long-range shot behind the goal.
Despite the initial efforts, there were still some unhappy fans at half-time. Casemiro and Dalot were substituted for Sofyan Amrabat and Aaron Wan-Bissaka. In the second half, Anthony Martial had a close-range shot saved from a low cross by Wan-Bissaka, and Amrabat missed a chance. Manchester United looked more energetic and controlled the game, but Newcastle scored the decisive goal in the 60th minute.
Joelinton’s strong tackle on Amrabat led to Willock, who advanced and struck the ball firmly from 20 yards, beating Onana in front of the away fans. This goal shook the home team and sealed the outcome. Ten Hag made substitutions, and the Red Devils’ performance showed signs of desperation. Bruno Fernandes, a substitute, missed a shot, and Longstaff had a near miss at the opposite end as the game lost its intensity.