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Manchester United cruised to a comfortable 4-0 win over Newcastle United at St. James’ Park with a brace from Juan Mata and one each from Javier Hernandez and Adnan Januzaj.
Juan Mata had his best game in a United shirt with his two goals and a superb backheeled assist to set up Januzaj for the fourth goal right at the end of the match.
In what looked like a lackadaisical first-half for either team, Juan Mata got his second goal in Manchester United colours through a brilliant curling free kick. He was calmness personified when he got his second goal after dummying the keeper and the defender and coolly rolling it into the bottom corner.
Chicharito got the third goal of the game and his second in as many matches after he swept in a great pass from Shinji Kagawa at the near post.
Alan Pardew saw the game yet again from the stands, serving his ban, for headbutting Hull City midfielder, David Meyler a few weeks ago. He was helpless as he saw his toothless side get comprehensively beaten by a Manchester United side brimming with confidence away from home.
The game didn’t start that well for Manchester United as the first substitution came for Manchester United after 14 minutes, when Ashley Young had to be taken off with a bruised thumb, and Januzaj was brought on. David Moyes confirmed in his post-match conference that Young had torn ligaments in his hand.
Newcastle United’s only real chances in the match fell to Papiss Cisse. Anders Lindegaard, who was in goal for the rested David de Gea, made an outstanding save to keep Cisse out late in the second half with a shot from a point blank range.
Chicharito was unlucky to have not got his goal in the first half after a lovely one-two with Kagawa in the centre of the park. Kagawa put Chicharito through on goal, but he hit the post in what looked like a good fingertip save by the Newcastle goalkeeper, Elliot.
Mata put Manchester United in the lead before halftime with a terrific curling effort into the top right-hand corner from the free kick, after Darren Fletcher was fouled just outside the box.
Adnan Januzaj with the fourth goal of the game
Chicharito made his goal look effortless when he slid in the ball at the near post after Kagawa pulled it back from the byline.
With half an hour to go, Moyes made the second change of the game when he brought on Alexander Buttner for Patrice Evra, who played his first game in more than a week after serving his suspension during the midweek Champions League game against bayern Munich.
After a few minutes, Nani replaced Fellaini, who had an average game and still hasn’t lived up to his price tag. This caused a change in the formation by Moyes as he switched to a 4-3-3 with Mata and Kagawa supporting Fletcher in midfield. With this change, United fans’ hopes of watching the 18-year-old James Wilson make his debut didn’t come true.
Manchester United continue to be the best team on the road in the Premier League, gathering 33 points out of a possible 51. They have won all four of their last away games, keeping a clean sheet in each of them.
A side plagued by injuries in the recent weeks, Newcastle were without their top scorer, Loic Remy due to an ankle injury. After failing to score in the last two games against Everton and Southampton, and conceding seven in total, Newcastle United failed to do any better to offer their fans something to cheer for as Manchester United wreaked havoc with the difference in the quality of the two sides so evident.
On a day when United’s loss would have cast them further adrift of the top 4, David Moyes’ men did enough to stay in touch, albeit for just some more time. On the back of two good performances in the Champions League and the Premier League, Manchester United visit Bavaria on Wednesday to take on Bayern Munich with the tie evenly balanced at 1-1. A rarity of good times, this, for United fans this season.
