Newcastle United 1-0 Manchester United: Player Ratings

Manchester United

David de Gea - 6.5

De Gea made a brilliant save from Jonjo Shelvey's swerving effort within the opening two minutes of the game. He could not have done much to keep Ritchie's effort out.

Antonio Valencia - 6

Valencia was well below his high standards at Newcastle, providing no whip in his crosses and also struggling against the pace of Kennedy and energy of Dummett on the flank.

Chris Smalling - 5

Smalling may well have been penalized as he sent Perez tumbling to the ground without the challenge being sanctioned by the referee. He conceded the free-kick for simulation that resulted in the goal, making it a poor performance overall from the centre-back.

Phil Jones - 6.5

Jones made a number of clearances to keep United stable against a high-tempo Newcastle United. He could have done more to get his team-mates to man-mark Newcastle's approaching men.

Ashley Young - 7

Young was United's best player in a disappointing performance, bringing the ball forward and beating opponents in one-on-one duels. Defensively, he was involved in a fantastic battle between himself and Matt Ritchie in a bid to stop the latter from getting crosses in.

Nemanja Matic - 6.5

Matic had a rusty start, losing the ball cheaply to the opposition a couple of times. He made up for it with an excellent defence-splitting pass to send Martial through towards the end of the first half. He was in a more advanced position once United fell behind, but was unable to impact the game from there.

Paul Pogba - 5.5

Pogba didn't display the intensity at St. James' park as he normally associates his performances with. He looked as if he was playing with an injury, misplacing passes in midfield and failing to track back when Newcastle gained possession.

Alexis Sanchez - 7

The Chilean powerhouse's work-rate was credible, making inroads across the byline and taking on Newcastle's players one by one to get a sight on goal. He missed a great opportunity to score when he skipped past Dubravka and saw his shot blocked by Lejeune.

Jesse Lingard - 6

Lingard was tied down by the hardworking Diame and couldn't really construct a goal-scoring opportunity from a No. 10 position.

Anthony Martial - 6.5

Martial missed three excellent chances to get United on the scoresheet, the first being saved by the debutant Dubravka and the subsequent two being cleared off the line in quick succession. He worked hard on the right wing, using his pace and ingenuity on the ball to good effect.

Romelu Lukaku - 6.5

Lukaku was starved of any good service owing to Newcastle's immense defending and organized set-up. He held the ball up on the edge of the box to help his teammates come forward, but never got a clear shot at Dubravka's goal.

Substitutions:

Michael Carrick - 6

The veteran midfielder tried to affect the game from central midfield with his wide range of passing, but could not break down a resilient Newcastle. His last-minute shot was wonderfully saved by Dubravka.

Juan Mata - 6.5

Mata was tasked with getting United back into the game with his deft touches and feeding passes, but Newcastle were committed to putting bodies behind for the cause.

Scott McTominay - 6

McTominay could not get a grip on the game during his short stint on the pitch, getting dispossessed and running into a crowd of Newcastle bodies every time he had the ball at his feet.