In the early morning of May 16, Manchester United struggled to defeat Newcastle 3-2 in the rescheduled match of Premier League's 34th round.
The return of Bruno Fernandes significantly improved Manchester United's playing style. In the first half, under the management of coach Erik ten Hag, the team played evenly with their higher-ranked opponents, even creating more chances than Newcastle (9 compared to 7).
In the 31st minute, Manchester United's pressure paid off with the opening goal scored by the young talent Kobbie Mainoo. From Amad Diallo's pass on the right flank, Mainoo turned and shot to beat Martin Dubravka. In this situation, Kieran Trippier's positional error nullified the visitors' offside trap.
[caption id="attachment_5244" align="alignnone" width="600"] Mainoo opened the scoring for MU.[/caption]
Despite taking the lead, Manchester United still left many concerns in defense. In the first half, Casmeiro, Andre Onana, and Sofyan Amrabat had to make desperate saves to keep the home team's net intact, against direct attacks from Newcastle.
The defensive effort only helped the hosts hold on until the 49th minute. After a good period of play, Amrabat unexpectedly made a mistake, allowing Jacob Murphy to break through before crossing for Anthony Gordon to head home, leveling the game.
The joy of the away fans didn't last long. Just 8 minutes after conceding, Newcastle conceded their second goal. Amad once again made his mark with a beautiful curling shot, making it 2-1 for Manchester United.
In the remaining time, both teams played with full dedication. The drama intensified in the final minutes, as each team added another goal. In the 84th minute, Bruno assisted Rasmus Hojlund to slot home, making it 3-1. In the 90+2 minute, Lewis Hall forced Onana to pick the ball out of the net after a classy shot from outside the box.
The match ended with a 3-2 victory for the home team. Manchester United secured 3 points in their final home game of the season. In the last round, the "Red Devils" will face Brighton away, while Newcastle will take on Brentford.
After the victory, coach Erik ten Hag thanked the fans for their support and declared his team's commitment to giving their all in the FA Cup final with the aim of winning the title.
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