Manchester United dropped points against Newcastle United in their Premier League clash on Monday at St. James' Park. Allan Saint-Maximin gave the hosts the lead in the seventh minute, with Edinson Cavani equalizing in the 71st minute to end the game at 1-1.
Manchester United were playing for the first time since December 11. This is because two of their Premier League games against Brentford and Brighton & Hove Albion were postponed due to a Covid-19 outbreak. Fans would've hoped for an energized performance from the Red Devils after a break of two weeks.
However, that was not the case. Manchester United were abysmal throughout the game but were especially poor in the first half. United could muster only four shots on target throughout the match.
They were only saved by a lack of finishing from Newcastle's end and one stunning save by David de Gea. The Magpies had 13 shots on target throughout the match.
In the first half, it was poor defending from Harry Maguire and Raphael Varane that gave Saint-Maximin the opportunity to cut in and shoot from the edge of the box. He didn't miss. United couldn't conjure up much in the attack either. The likes of Marcus Rashford, Mason Greenwood and Cristiano Ronaldo couldn't do much with the rare opportunities they got on the ball.
Manchester United fans were absolutely seething at this performance, especially on the outings from Rashford and Maguire. They took to Twitter to demonstrate their frustration. Here are some of their reactions:
Manchester United falling behind in the top four race in the Premier League
After finishing second in the Premier League last season, Manchester United fans had hoped for a title charge this season. The addition of Raphael Varane and Jadon Sancho and the return of Cristiano Ronaldo further bolstered those hopes.
However, currently, even a top four finish is looking like a Herculean task for this Manchester United side.
After the draw against Newcastle United, United are seventh in the league table, seven points off Arsenal, who sit in fourth position. United do have two games in hand over the Gunners but winning them will only take them to fifth.
Tottenham Hotspur and West Ham United are above them and have games in hand too.
If the Red Devils are to clinch a top four position, it will certainly require an effort exponentially better than what they showed against Newcastle. Their next challenge lies in the form of Burnley on December 30 at Old Trafford in the Premier League.