Not too way back, Manchester United have been being touted, albeit with some optimism, as a believable darkish horse contender for the Premier League championship.
Now, even a top-four end is trying removed from assured for a membership up on the market and looking for Champions League qualification as one other attraction for potential patrons.
United’s 2-0 loss at Newcastle on Sunday additional intensified the race for the 2 possible spots behind Arsenal and Manchester City, the Premier League’s runaway high two, in Europe’s high competitors subsequent season.
Second-half targets by Joe Willock and Callum Wilson gave Newcastle partial revenge for its loss to United within the English League Cup ultimate on Feb. 26. They lifted the Saudi-controlled northeast workforce into third place, above United on aim distinction. Tottenham is some extent behind each groups in fifth place forward of its recreation at Everton on Monday.
“I do think Newcastle are a very good side, but I don’t think they won the game on quality today,” United defender Luke Shaw stated. “They won it on passion, hunger, desire, and attitude. They had a higher motivation than we had. That can’t be possible.”
“You could say it was coming,” Shaw added. “Before the international break, we dropped levels. It was clear to see today it wasn’t up there.”
For United, it’s only one level – a 0-0 house draw with struggling Southampton – from a attainable 9 in its final three league video games. That’s a worrying drop in kind amid a busy fixture schedule for Erik ten Hag’s workforce, which continues to be concerned within the FA Cup and Europa League.
Also hurting United is the present absence of Casemiro in league play due to the Brazil worldwide’s four-match suspension within the competitors. The workforce’s midfield was overwhelmed at St. James’ Park as Newcastle laid siege to David de Gea’s aim, which was solely breached after halftime.
Willock nodded in from point-blank vary to make it 1-0 within the sixty fifth minute after Allan Saint-Maximin headed again throughout aim, earlier than Wilson – simply on in its place – headed in Kieran Trippier’s free kick within the 88th.
“For a long time, we’ve always disliked Man United as Newcastle fans,” stated Newcastle defender Dan Burn, a boyhood supporter of his workforce. “We owed them one this season.”
It was a 3rd straight league win for Newcastle, which appears over a blip initially of the 12 months the place the workforce claimed simply three factors in a five-game spell.
“Our confidence levels should be through the roof after that,” Newcastle supervisor Eddie Howe informed his gamers within the locker room.
Moyes reduction
On a day when each Chelsea supervisor Graham Potter and Leicester supervisor Brendan Rodgers misplaced their jobs, the stress was eased on West Ham’s David Moyes because of a 1-0 win over Southampton in a tense recreation between the groups which began Sunday as the underside two.
Nayef Aguerd’s Twenty fifth-minute header was sufficient to carry West Ham from nineteenth to 14th and go away last-place Southampton three factors adrift of security in one of many tightest relegation battles in years.
“Look, I’m in a results business; I have to get results,” Moyes stated. “There’s no protection to stop me from losing my job.”
West Ham are nonetheless just one level above the relegation zone.
Southampton haven’t been out of the Premier League since 2011-12.
Source: www.dailysabah.com
