Rasmus Hojlund ended his 10-game scoring drought to secure victory for Manchester United in an exhilarating encounter at Old Trafford against Newcastle.
Anything other than a win for Erik ten Hag’s side would have resulted in their lowest league finish in 34 years.
Instead, they head into the final day needing to outperform Newcastle’s result to secure a place in next season’s UEFA Conference League. However, they have the opportunity to qualify for the Europa League by defeating Manchester City in the FA Cup final at Wembley on May 25.
Kobbie Mainoo put the home side ahead after 31 minutes with a composed finish from 10 yards, benefiting from being played onside by Kieran Trippier.
Anthony Gordon equalized four minutes into the second half, and Manchester United narrowly avoided falling behind as Sofyan Amrabat made a brilliant tackle to deny Alexander Isak during a three-on-one counter.
Amad Diallo scored his maiden Premier League goal just before the hour mark from a corner clearance, restoring Manchester United’s lead. However, Eddie Howe’s Newcastle came close to leveling the score as Miguel Almiron narrowly missed converting a low cross from the impressive Gordon at the far post.
Hojlund settled the home side’s nerves by calmly slotting home his 15th goal of the season with a low finish into the bottom corner.
Despite a late scare when Newcastle’s left-back Lewis Hall scored from the edge of the box in stoppage time, Manchester United managed to hold on for the win.
Newcastle must secure a victory at Brentford on the final day to ensure a top-seven finish.
Newcastle endure more Old Trafford pain
Newcastle’s dismal track record at Old Trafford remains unchanged, and as they journey back to the North East, they will lament a missed opportunity to secure the draw they had hoped for.
Even Manchester United, a team known for occasionally squandering leads late in games, managed to maintain their advantage this time, despite Lewis Hall’s impressive effort in injury time.
A significant portion of the damage was self-inflicted. There’s simply no excuse for a player as seasoned as Trippier, who was clearly in line with the defensive line, to be positioned so far back, allowing Mainoo to score.
After equalizing, Newcastle pressured Aaron Wan-Bissaka into a mistake, finding themselves with three attackers against a lone defender, Amrabat, who was scrambling back. However, they failed to capitalize on the opportunity as Isak’s shot was blocked.
Anthony Gordon’s performance was noteworthy, showcasing his direct running and creativity. His low cross for Almiron should have resulted in a goal for Newcastle, but the Paraguayan couldn’t apply the finishing touch at the far post.
He came agonizingly close, much like Dan Burn’s header in the first half, which was cleared off the goal line by Casemiro just in time.
Newcastle’s record at this stadium now stands at just one win in 29 visits, and their hopes for European qualification now hinge on the shortcomings of others.
Casemiro bounces back
Despite facing criticism for his positioning against Arsenal, Casemiro surprisingly started in central defense, despite Lisandro Martinez’s availability and desire to play against Arsenal.
The nature of Martinez’s discussion with Ten Hag before this game remains speculative, but Casemiro’s early involvement in midfield, followed by a costly giveaway that led to a dangerous Newcastle counter-attack, intensified scrutiny on his selection.
However, instead of fading from the game, Casemiro relied on his extensive experience to excel for the remainder of the first half.
He was perfectly positioned to clear Dan Burn’s header off the line, preventing what seemed like an imminent goal. Additionally, Casemiro executed a superb tackle on Anthony Gordon, denying Newcastle a shooting opportunity with only Andre Onana to beat.
Newcastle’s manager, Howe, was adamant his team deserved a penalty during that sequence, echoing the sentiments of Wolves regarding VAR’s validity, as the match official chose not to overturn the decision made on the field.
Casemiro also came close to scoring with an overhead kick and may contemplate whether Trippier will face similar scrutiny to what he has endured over the past few days.
The final result means Manchester United have something to strive for on the last day, a scenario that wasn’t always apparent.
As Ten Hag emphasized before his team’s lap of appreciation, they conclude their season at Wembley in the FA Cup final against Manchester City, with the assurance that his team “will give everything.”
Player of the match: A. Gordon