Manchester United 0-2 Newcastle United: Alexander Isak scores again as visitors claim dominant win

Newcastle didn’t need to come up with anything radical to seize control of the match.

In an age of analysts, throw-in coaches and fitness gurus, a TV set with an ability to record would have been enough.

Manchester United’s deficiencies in defending set-pieces have been highlighted in every post-match inquest since Nottingham Forest came to this stadium on 7 December and scored after two minutes with a corner dropped to the near post at edge of the six-yard area. That came in the immediate aftermath of Amorim’s team conceding twice in the same manner at Arsenal.

Manchester United have conceded twice in three games direct from corners. So, when Bruno Guimaraes found Lewis Hall in space down the left, a cross was the obvious option. When Anthony Gordon cut back in a roughly similar position quarter of an hour later, he did the same thing.

On the first occasion, five home defenders were in a line. Yet Isak still got a free header to score. On the second, Joelinton outmuscled Lisandro Martinez as he jumped and the outcome was the same as Newcastle celebrated their good fortune.

It was 2-0 by the 19th minute and could have been more. Isak raced through after being left unattended by the touchline, but chipped a weak chip straight at Andre Onana. Gordon curled an effort over from the edge of the area and Joelinton blasted over after Gordon had skinned Noussair Mazraoui by the touchline.

In addition, Kieran Tripper tried to exploit United’s glaring weakness by going for goal direct from a corner, which had Onana scrambling to punch away at his near post.

For Newcastle, with a Champions League place to fight for and a Carabao Cup semi-final next week against Arsenal – and the prospect of a first trophy since 1969 – the rest of the contest was about containment.

This has not always been the best season for the Magpies, but with a new year approaching, Howe has engineered his side into a very encouraging situation.