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On Monday, December 30, Manchester United lost their third straight league match at home for the first-time in 45 years, suffering a 0-2 defeat against Newcastle United. At the Old Trafford, the 13-time former Premier League champions were no match to the tactical masterclass from Eddie Howe’s side, who are in fifth place in the standings, with an aim of finishing in UEFA Champions League positions in the second half of the season.
From the very beginning, Newcastle United exerted pressure on the defensive line of Manchester United, and it paid dividends in the fourth minute when Alexander Isak opened the scoring with a free header in the six-yard box after being served up a delightful ball from the left by Lewis Hall. In the 19th minute, Joelinton doubled the lead for the visitors with an eerily similar goal to the first one, thanks to an assist from Anthony Gordon.
Manchester United suffered five league losses in calendar month for the first-time since 1962
Ruben Amorim took off Joshua Zirkzee in the middle of the first half, bringing on Kobbie Mainoo before more personnel changes in the second half, but Newcastle United found it relatively easy to keep their 2-0 lead intact in the absence of Bruno Fernandes, who was serving a suspension. After suffering five losses in the league in a calendar month for the first-time since Sir Matt Busby’s days in 1962, the Manchester United manager admitted that they are in a relegation battle currently.
Manchester United finished the year 2024 in 14th place in the ongoing Premier League season with their fifth loss in last six matches, following which Ruben Amorim said, as per BBC Sport, “I think [the team] is a little bit lost in this moment, so it's a little bit embarrassing to be a Manchester United coach and to lose a lot of games. But we have to cope with difficult moments in the life of everybody, so it's a hard moment. I think people are tired of excuses in this club and I think sometimes I talk about relegation because of that.”
"We have to acknowledge our position the way you see the league, that everybody can beat everybody, so we have to win games and to focus on surviving. I think our club needs a shock, you know? It needs a shock and we have to understand that,” he added.
