Manchester United – Newcastle: The Magpies punished glaring tactical mistakes (0-2)

An outstanding Newcastle in the first half stormed Old Trafford. They exposed all the weaknesses between Manchester United's defensive line and midfield, with a double pivot of Christian Eriksen and Casemiro failing to step up in terms of coverage and matching the work rate of Bruno Guimarães, the playmaker, and Joelinton, who played with the spirit of a forward.

 Tactical analysis and match report by Juan Lauz.

Rúben Amorim’s Manchester United had hosted their opponent after suffering three consecutive losses in the Premier League, with their last win being the victory in the Manchester derby. With two key midfielders, Bruno Fernandes and Manuel Ugarte, suspended, the team had been set up in a 3-4-2-1 formation, with Matthijs de Ligt and Licha Martínez as stoppers and Harry Maguire as the libero. Casemiro and Christian Eriksen had formed the double pivot behind Amad Diallo and Joshua Zirkzee as attacking midfielders. The only wide players had been Noussair Mazraoui and Diogo Dalot, whilst Rasmus Højlund had played as the center forward.

The visitors, after a shaky start, had been on a high following three consecutive league wins. Fullbacks Lewis Hall and Kieran Trippier had been vital for this match, along with a midfield trio consisting of Sandro Tonali in the pivot and Joelinton and Bruno Guimarães as interiors. The attacking line had been formed by Anthony Gordon and Jacob Murphy on the wings, and Alexander Isak in the center.

How to bypass a midfield

Newcastle United delivered an extraordinary first-half performance at Old Trafford. Howe's men had opted for a proactive approach without the ball and showcased blistering . . .