May 16th, Manchester United defeated Newcastle 3-2 in the rescheduled match of Premier League's 34th round at home.
[caption id="attachment_5290" align="alignnone" width="600"] Manchester United put an end to their streak of 3 consecutive draws and losses[/caption]
MU ended their streak of 3 consecutive draws and losses. With not much left to strive for in the Premier League, coach Erik ten Hag boldly gave Amad Diallo a chance, a player who had not started in any Premier League match until before May.
Playing as a right winger, the young Ivorian talent shone with an assist and a goal. In the 31st minute, Amad dribbled from the right flank and provided an assist for Kobbie Mainoo to score inside the box, giving MU the lead.
In the 57th minute, with the score tied at 1-1, Amad capitalized on a defensive error by Newcastle to volley the ball past Martin Dubravka.
Amad's performance raised concerns for Antony. With his current form, the former Atalanta player could take a starting spot in the FA Cup final against Man City on May 25th.
In the 86th minute, Rasmus Hojlund came off the bench and immediately made an impact with a powerful shot into the bottom corner, extending the lead to 3-1 for the home team.
[caption id="attachment_5289" align="alignnone" width="600"] Hojlund found the back of the net upon his return[/caption]
Despite scoring 3 goals against a relatively strong opponent, MU's style of play still left fans worried. The midfield, with Sofyan Amrabat, constantly struggled in duels with opponents, putting pressure on the defense for most of the match.
Newcastle exerted pressure from both flanks and the central area, resulting in 17 shot attempts. Andre Onana and Casemiro had to work hard, coupled with a bit of luck, to concede only 2 goals, after a close-range header by Antony Gordon in the 49th minute and a beautiful long-range shot by Lewis Hall in the 90+2 minute.
The 3 points at home only helped MU regain confidence rather than improve their position in the standings. MU still sits 8th, behind Newcastle. Both clubs have 57 points, but MU's goal difference is far behind the Northeastern rivals (-3 compared to 21).
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