Lacking inspiration and physical condition after more than fifteen days without playing because of COVID-19, Manchester United won the draw on Monday (1-1) on the lawn of Newcastle thanks to the winning entry of Edinson Cavani.
An obvious loss of pace after the postponement of their last two meetings against Brentford and Brighton and the good performance of Allan Saint-Maximim on the Newcastle side, however, slowed down the Mancuniens (7th) who miss the opportunity to get closer to the Top 5 Premier League.
“I don’t worry about the physical condition of the team. They seem to be in very good shape, ”reassured Ralf Rangnick before this trip to the Magpies lawn.
But the German technician could only see that his people would surely need time to get back on track, jostled from start to finish by a Newcastle team admittedly in difficulty in the standings (19th), but showing more ‘envy in the game and which could even have won at the end of the meeting on a huge double opportunity.
Saint-Maximin everywhere …
Allan Saint-Maximin was the most striking symbol of this. The former Niçois hurt United’s defense with his energy.
On a poor assessment in front of Longstaff of the French defender Raphaël Varane, in difficulty for his return after more than a month of injury, Saint-Maximin recovered the ball and managed from the entry of the surface, and in imbalance, to lodge the leather in the left net of De Gea (7th).
In constant activity, the winger of the Magpies even thought to allow his family to make the break before the break (38th) thanks to a superb job, but Wilson’s goal was finally canceled for offside. Finally, he was slightly surprised in front of goal by a strong cross from Krafth after the break, and his shot on target in the 72nd found De Gea’s gloves.
… Cavani in the right place
Faced with the lack of offensive creativity of his own, Rangnick then chose to bring in Edinson Cavani and Jadon Sancho at the start of the second period.
For a time neither the Uruguayan international (56th), nor Cristiano Ronaldo, very few in sight Monday night (52nd) managed to frame, while the heavy strike from Marcus Rashford was repelled by Dubravka (49th).
But on an action finally clean, the center of Diogo Dalot found Cavani who, in good fox of the surfaces at the penalty spot, did it twice to save the Red Devils.
Proof of the Mancunian difficulties, Newcastle could have gone for the victory at the end of the meeting on a huge double occasion. But after a post, the recovery of Almiron was barely postponed by De Gea, in form him.
–
