Newcastle & Man Utd in thrilling six-goal draw

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13 Jan 2016

By Phil Dawkes BSports

Paul Dummett's late strike rescued a point for Newcastle as Manchester United missed the chance to go level on points with fourth-placed Tottenham.

It was a remarkable end to a game that had seen the away side lead twice.

Wayne Rooney's penalty and Jesse Lingard's finish put them 2-0 up before Georginio Wijnaldum and Aleksandar Mitrovic's penalty levelled the scores.

Rooney's second looked to have won it for Louis van Gaal's side but Dummett salvaged the draw in the last minute.

The point earned is not enough to lift Newcastle out of the bottom three - they remain a point and place behind 17th-placed Swansea - but it represents another notable improvement following three successive 1-0 league defeats.

For Louis van Gaal's side, it will represent two points lost and a step backwards after back-to-back Premier League and FA Cup victories had offered improvement on a winless December.

How the action unfolded at St James' Park
Listen to BSports Radio 5 live commentary of all the goals
'We always try to play attacking football' - Football Daily podcast
Relive Tuesday night's Premier League action

Let us entertain you

Following criticism of Manchester United's attacking prowess, in a season that had seen them score just 24 goals in 20 league games prior to Tuesday, Van Gaal himself admitted on Monday that he has been "very bored" at times watching his side.

He can have no such complaints after this hugely entertaining, see-saw game, which produced some of their best attacking play of the season.

Rooney was magnificent.

The England striker gave them the lead from the spot after Mike Dean's controversial call to award a penalty against Chancel Mbemba after his arm blocked Marouane Fellaini's back-post header from a corner.

Newcastle 3-3 Man Utd: Van Gaal says side should have scored six

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We could have scored six - Van Gaal

But it was his role in setting up Lingard for the second - holding the ball up before rolling a perfectly timed pass into the winger's path for a low, angled finish - and his superbly struck 20-yard second, after Memphis Depay's shot had deflected to him, that really showcased the 30-year-old's talent, the latter of which drew a rare smile from his manager.

However, United's attacking display was let down by key misses from Lingard, who blazed over from inside the box at 2-1, and Fellaini, who headed straight at Rob Elliott from point-blank range when his side led 3-2.

Ultimately, though, Van Gaal will be left bemoaning an area in which his side have largely excelled this season, as a series of defensive lapses cost them victory.

Resilient Newcastle show improvement

Georginio Wijnaldum scored his eighth goal of the season (all of which have come at St James' Park), finishing with a shinned shot following Aleksandar Mitrovic's downward header

Newcastle have been one of the early movers in this transfer window, signing midfielders Henri Saivet and Jonjo Shelvey, both of whom greeted the crowd before kick-off.

But on the evidence of this display, at least, the current squad is not lacking in fight.

At 2-0 down they refused to crumble, hitting back soon after Lingard's goal as Wijnaldum - who had earlier seen a 12-yard shot saved by David de Gea - made no mistake from a similar range after latching on to Mitrovic's downward header.

The supplier turned scorer after the break to make it 2-2, dusting himself off after being grappled to the ground by Chris Smalling in the box to roll in his fourth goal of the season from the penalty spot.

Even when they fell behind again with 11 minutes to go, Newcastle dug deep and were rewarded when the away side failed to properly clear a ball into the box and Dummett's fierce strike from the edge of the box found the net via Smalling's chest.

Analysis - former Newcastle striker Alan Shearer

"What a fantastic match. Credit to both sets of players and managers as they both wanted to win and gambled to win. I think a draw was a fair result.

"How on earth can you work football out?

"Newcastle got some confidence and they shoved themselves 10 yards up the pitch, particularly in the first half. They got the goal just before half-time and I'm sure Steve McClaren told them to do the same as they had in the last 10 minutes of the first half.

"It was a great atmosphere in the stadium and I just wanted more.

"The one concern is that we have seen Newcastle performances like this against Tottenham and Liverpool but what they have to do now is go into games against lesser teams and produce that kind of performance."

Man of the match - Wayne Rooney

Wayne Rooney (centre) is congratulated by team-mates

Wayne Rooney was at the centre of an improved attacking display from Manchester United, scoring two of their goals and assisting the other

What they said...

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Paul Dummett goal felt like winner - McClaren

Newcastle United boss Steve McClaren: "The crowd responded magnificently and we wanted to show everyone what we are about.

"People said that United were boring and that we lack character - but we kept fighting until the end and we have got a goal that feels like a winner.

"People thought it would be a 0-0 and it was a classic at 3-3. It must have been a great game for the neutral - it was a heart attack for the coaches."

Manchester United boss Louis van Gaal: "Of course it feels like a defeat.

"We have given it away - I have told that to my players. When the referee gives a penalty for nothing - it is a duel I think and you cannot decide who is worse - but we gave it away.

"We could have scored six goals easily here and we did not. If we had, it would have been three successive wins at the start of the year going into Liverpool."

Van Gaal (left) celebrated with the rest of the Manchester United bench when Rooney scored

The stats you need to know

Rooney has also assisted eight Premier League goals against Newcastle, his most against a single opponent
Rooney's penalty goal was his 19th in the Premier League for Man United, putting him ahead of Ruud van Nistelrooy (18)
This is only the second time this season that Manchester United have scored twice in the first half of a Premier League game (also two v Everton in October)
Newcastle recovered from a two-goal deficit to avoid defeat for the first time in a Premier League game since September 2014 against Hull (a 2-2 draw)
The Magpies scored more than twice in a Premier League game this season for only the second time (also 6-2 against Norwich)

What next?

Newcastle are at home again on Saturday, with West Ham the visitors to St James' Park.

Manchester United travel to Anfield to face Liverpool on Sunday in a 14:05 GMT kick-off.

Lineup, Bookings (4) & Substitutions (5)

Newcastle United

21 Elliot
22 Janmaat
18 Mbemba
02 Coloccini
03 Dummett
24 Tioté Booked (Toney - 85' )
04 Colback (Gouffran - 81' )
07 Sissoko
05 Wijnaldum
17 Pérez (de Jong - 92' )
45 Mitrovic

Substitutes

10 de Jong
11 Gouffran
15 Lascelles
26 Darlow
31 Marveaux
36 Toney
42 Sterry

Manchester United

01 de Gea
18 Young
12 Smalling Booked
17 Blind
36 Darmian
28 Schneiderlin
27 Fellaini Booked
09 Martial
21 Herrera Booked (Mata - 75' )
35 Lingard (Depay - 64' )
10 Rooney

Substitutes

07 Depay
08 Mata
20 Romero
33 McNair
43 Borthwick-Jackson
44 Pereira
47 Weir

Ref: Mike Dean

Att: 49,673

Match Stats

Possession 54 46

Shots

14 12

On target

6 4

Corners

5 3

Fouls

10 12

Live Text Commentary

Full time

Full Time Match ends, Newcastle United 3, Manchester United 3.

90:00 +4:09 Full time

Full Time Second Half ends, Newcastle United 3, Manchester United 3.

90:00 +2:26

Aleksandar Mitrovic (Newcastle United) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

90:00 +2:26

Foul by Chris Smalling (Manchester United).

90:00 +1:42 Substitution

Substitution Substitution, Newcastle United. Siem de Jong replaces Ayoze Pérez.

90:00 +1:05

Foul by Moussa Sissoko (Newcastle United).

90:00 +1:05

Memphis Depay (Manchester United) wins a free kick on the left wing.

90:00 +0:32

Offside, Newcastle United. Fabricio Coloccini tries a through ball, but Aleksandar Mitrovic is caught offside.

89:19 Goal scored

Goal! Goal! Newcastle United 3, Manchester United 3. Paul Dummett (Newcastle United) left footed shot from the centre of the box to the top left corner.

86:38

Foul by Georginio Wijnaldum (Newcastle United).

86:38

Wayne Rooney (Manchester United) wins a free kick on the right wing.

84:58 Substitution

Substitution Substitution, Newcastle United. Ivan Toney replaces Cheick Tioté.

83:19

Attempt saved. Marouane Fellaini (Manchester United) header from the centre of the box is saved in the bottom right corner. Assisted by Memphis Depay with a cross.

82:20

Foul by Daryl Janmaat (Newcastle United).

82:20

Memphis Depay (Manchester United) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

80:21 Substitution

Substitution Substitution, Newcastle United. Yoan Gouffran replaces Jack Colback.

78:33 Goal scored

Goal! Goal! Newcastle United 2, Manchester United 3. Wayne Rooney (Manchester United) right footed shot from outside the box to the top left corner.

78:30

Attempt blocked. Memphis Depay (Manchester United) right footed shot from outside the box is blocked. Assisted by Anthony Martial.

77:25

Cheick Tioté (Newcastle United) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

77:25

Foul by Ashley Young (Manchester United).

76:40

Attempt missed. Aleksandar Mitrovic (Newcastle United) left footed shot from the centre of the box misses to the left. Assisted by Moussa Sissoko.

74:13 Substitution

Substitution Substitution, Manchester United. Juan Mata replaces Ander Herrera.