Newcastle winger Harvey Barnes struck twice as the club delivered a comprehensive 4-1 defeat to a struggling Manchester United, propelling them into fourth place in the Premier League on Sunday.
Despite the absence of manager Eddie Howe, who was hospitalised on Friday due to illness, Newcastle were in fine form, with Howe’s assistants Jason Tindall and Graeme Jones overseeing the impressive victory.
Barnes’ brace in the second half helped the Magpies maintain their push for Champions League qualification.
Newcastle took the lead through Sandro Tonali, but United quickly levelled with Alejandro Garnacho’s strike just before the break.
Barnes then stole the spotlight after halftime, becoming the first Newcastle player to score twice in a league match against United since Alan Shearer in 2000.
Bruno Guimaraes capitalised on a mistake by United goalkeeper Altay Bayindir, who was starting in place of the dropped Andre Onana, to seal a resounding win for the hosts. It was the first time Newcastle had scored four goals against United since 2001.
The result leaves Newcastle just one point behind third-placed Nottingham Forest, with a game in hand. They also lead fifth-placed Manchester City and sixth-placed Chelsea, who are both two points behind.
Meanwhile, United’s woeful run continued, as they have now failed to win in their last four games across all competitions. They sit in 14th place, just six games away from their worst finish in decades.
The club is already guaranteed to record their lowest-ever points tally in Premier League history, with their previous low of 58 points in the 2021-22 season under threat.
United manager Ruben Amorim made five changes to his side, with an eye on Thursday’s Europa League quarter-final second leg against Lyon. However, the tactical reshuffle did little to stem the tide, as United were completely outclassed.
Bayindir’s performance, in particular, was disappointing. The 26-year-old, starting in place of Onana following his poor display in United’s 2-2 draw against Lyon, had a night to forget.
Newcastle took the lead in the 24th minute after a fine team move. Manuel Ugarte’s giveaway in midfield allowed Kieran Trippier to surge forward, and his pass found Alexander Isak. The Swede cleverly lifted the ball over the defence for Tonali, who clinically slotted it past Bayindir from an acute angle.
Tonali almost doubled the lead shortly after, but his long-range shot flew just wide. Bayindir then nervously punched a cross straight to Isak, but the goalkeeper redeemed himself with a good save from the Swede’s volley.
Against the run of play, United equalised in the 37th minute. Diogo Dalot’s run into the box created space for Garnacho, who fired past Nick Pope to bring United level.
Newcastle wasted no time in regaining the lead early in the second half. A low cross from Tino Livramento was kept in by Jacob Murphy, whose pass into the box found an unmarked Barnes, who made no mistake with a composed finish.
The game slipped further away from United when Barnes made it 3-1 in the 64th minute. He dispossessed Noussair Mazraoui and calmly drilled a low strike past Bayindir into the net.
The final blow came in the 77th minute when a wayward pass from Bayindir was intercepted by Joelinton. The ball fell to Guimaraes, who slotted it home with composure to cap a miserable afternoon for United.
