In the final minutes of the match, Eddie Howe and Newcastle suffered a setback when Matt Targett got injured and couldn’t continue. To reorganize, the visitors introduced Almiron, who made an immediate impact but also took the lead.
Approaching the half-hour mark, both teams had failed to create any particularly noteworthy moments.
Casemiro had an opportunity to test Martin Dubravka with a shot from 20 yards, but it lacked the necessary force. Nevertheless, Newcastle had adapted well to significant lineup changes compared to their previous match.
Almiron’s first goal was the result of an effort by right-back Tino Livramento. The 20-year-old won the ball in his own half, surged forward, and expertly found his teammate in the box.
The away Newcastle fans were more vocal than the usually enthusiastic home crowd.
They chanted “Tino, Tino, Tino!” in support of Livramento and later turned their attention to Manchester United’s manager, Erik ten Hag, taunting him with chants of “Sacked in the morning!”
Things went from bad to worse for the hosts when Harry Maguire only partially cleared a well-executed Newcastle move down the left, leading to a clipped ball into the area. Hall watched the ball drop to his left foot and expertly volleyed it beyond Andre Onana into the far corner.
For most of the first half, the Red Devils had struggled to create clear chances.
Just before halftime, they enjoyed a brief spell of sustained pressure that resulted in Mason Mount striking a powerful shot from around 30 yards that tested Dubravka.
Aaron Wan-Bissaka, making his first appearance after a seven-week injury layoff, came off the bench in the second half. His addition provided an immediate impact, as he combined well with Anthony to set up a scoring opportunity for Anthony Martial in the box. Sofyan Amrabat was also introduced, and the hosts gained some degree of control.
Willock’s surprising goal effectively put an end to any hopes of a comeback. Joelinton intercepted a loose ball from Amrabat in midfield and Willock capitalized on the space in front of him, delivering a clinical finish into the bottom corner.
In the closing minutes, the game turned into more of a procession, with Ten Hag’s side appearing to concede defeat as Newcastle’s lead extended to three goals. Sean Longstaff, captaining his childhood team on his historic 150th appearance, narrowly missed a diving half-volley from the edge of the penalty area that would have made it 4-0.
