Newcastle United 1-0 Manchester United: 5 Talking Points and Tactical Analysis | Premier League 2019/20

#3 Allan Saint-Maximin and Fabian Schar shine under a gloomy skyline

Schar (L) was immense at the back for Newcastle

Steve Bruce decided to field Allan Saint-Maximin alongside Joelinton as the Magpies looked to pile further misery on the Red Devils. And, while the latter didn’t particularly cover himself in glory, the former strengthened his credentials magnificently.

The Frenchman tied the United defenders in knots multiple times and was the breath of fresh air Newcastle had been crying out for. He showcased bravery and courage on the ball to dribble past players and that enabled the hosts to get higher up the pitch, especially when the Red Devils enjoyed long spells of possession.

Moreover, the forward played a massive role in the winner as it was his purposeful run that created space for Jetro Willems on the left flank before the full-back found Matthew Longstaff.

As for Schar, the defender was simply remarkable as he was on hand to thwart everything the Red Devils threw at him. The centre-back was a colossus at the back and barely allowed United to make in-roads down the visitors’ left side.

And, though the away side weren’t at their creative best, the Swiss still had work to do in order to allow Steve Bruce to notch his first managerial victory over Manchester United.

During the nascent stage of the season, Newcastle have come under a lot of criticism for their archaic style of play and lack of defensive conviction.

However, on Sunday, they quelled those fears with a performance that’ll live long in the memory on Tyneside.