Newcastle 0-2 Man United player ratings as Rashford earns a 9

Sooraj Kamath - Writer 02:26 03/01/2019
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  • Marcus Rashford

    Manchester United maintained a 100 per cent record in the Ole Gunnar Solskjaer era with a 2-0 away win against Newcastle United. This result, coupled with the fact that Chelsea failed to see off Southampton means that the Red Devils are just six points away from a Champions League spot.

    United were not as threatening in the final third in the first half but second half goals from Romelu Lukaku and Marcus Rashford ensured that visitors left with all three points.

    Newcastle showed heart and displayed signs of a comeback, but they never really troubled David De Gea. Substitute Jonjo Shelvey provided some threat, but the United defence ensured that there were no hiccups.

    Rashford and Lindelof were standout players from the tie. We rate the players based on how they fared against Newcastle.

    Manchester United player ratings

    David De Gea 6: The custodian did not have to do much as the hosts rarely tested him. Answered well whenever he was called.

    Antonio Valencia 5: Found it hard to deal with Christian Atsu and Salomon Rondon. Sought assistance from Lindelof often. Valencia has had better days.

    Victor Lindelof 7: Was great in the air and accurate with his passing. Best player in the backline but he picked up a yellow.

    Phil Jones 5: Mixed bag. Looked comfortable at times but also committed some mistakes that could easily have led to goals.

    Luke Shaw 6: Dealt with Yedlin well, suffocated substitute Kenedy and prevented him from getting comfortable. Provided options pushing up as well.

    Ander Herrera 6: A quiet game from the Spaniard. He was not particularly bad but he didn’t provide anything significant either. Was troubled by Isaac Hayden at times.

    Nemanja Matic 7: A role that’s easy to overlook, Matic was solid in halting Newcastle’s attacks and initiated quick transitions in response.

    Juan Mata 6: Linked up well with Pogba and Martial but failed to provide that edge which was expected of him when United failed to penetrate.

    Paul Pogba 5: Created a few good chances and looked settled in the advanced position but gave away the ball way too often.

    Anthony Martial 6: Lacked that attacking flair. Was not at the end of clear-cut chances but should have buried at least one of the many half-chances presented to him.

    Marcus Rashford 9: Best player for the visitors. Created a few chances in the first half and killed the game by scoring late.

    Substitutes

    Romelu Lukaku 7: Scored a goal with his first touch of the ball, played his part in holding up play and promoting easy transition in the final third

    Alexis Sanchez 7: Looked dangerous from the moment he came on, assisted Rashford for United’s insurance goal.

    Jesse Lingard N/A: Played for just five minutes.

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