Match Report: Newcastle United 0-4 Manchester United

Newcastle United 0 Manchester United 4

While it was irritating to we reflect that we managed to drop three points at home to this uninspiring Newcastle side earlier in the season, this was another very enjoyable away day for the Reds. It’s now generally recognised that our away form has, incongruously, been the best in the Premiership this season and here, a team without several injured or rested players continued the trend in a cruise on Tyneside against, it has to be said, pretty dismal opposition.

Newcastle enjoyed decent possession in the early stages but their reputation for lacking a cutting edge was always evident, their only clear-cut opportunity coming when Lindegaard was forced to make a save from a Cisse header. For their part, the Reds looked patient and controlled as well as threatening on the break, even moreso after Young had been forced off early through injury and Januzaj came on to enhance the attacking threat.

The United breakthrough came when Fletcher was felled by Gosling on the edge of the box and Mata stepped up to score with an immaculately taken free kick. Soon after, Kagawa put Chicharito in only for his shot to be turned onto the post by Elliot. The save denied United a two goal lead at half-time but there was no question that the Reds were capable of extending their advantage in the second half. Fletcher and Fellaini continued to look a physically imposing a efficient central midfield unit, although the latter really needs to start doing something about those stray elbows, while Kagawa and Mata offered the creativity in advanced positions that the home side lacked.

The lead was doubled soon after half-time. Chicharito found himself free on the right and shrewdly opted to cut back where he found Mata, who coolly wrong-footed the keeper to grab his second. The Mexican turned from provider to scorer for the third, latching onto Kagawa’s deft ball inside to found off an encouraging personal performance in a rare starting role.

Although Lindgergaard was forced into action again to save late on from Cisse, the cigars were out at this stage. The lone Newcastle forward had, aside from these brief cameos, failed to cause problems for Jones and Smalling, who looked very comfortable as a central defensive pairing. United’s fourth goal, in stoppage time, was one that emphasised their superiority, an exquisite one-two between Januzaj and Mata ending with the young Belgian finishing sublimely at the near post.

The win finished off a rare good week for David Moyes and gave his team a second four-goal haul on successive Saturday afternoons. As with last weekend against Villa, the value of fielding Mata in the number 10 position is now screamingly evident and, just to give the United manager extra food for thought in his selections, Chicharito clearly enjoyed the combination too.

Enjoy that? Give it a share!