ANTHONY Gordon scored the winner as Newcastle held off a frenzied late push by Manchester United in a deserved 1-0 Premier League victory over their top-four rivals at a chilly St James’ Park.
Eddie Howe’s team climbed above Manchester United into fifth in the table on 26 points after 14 games as Erik ten Hag’s side dropped to seventh on 24.
“I couldn’t be happier with the players tonight,” Howe told TNT Sports. “The performances we put in against three top teams were brilliant so that will give confidence, and when we get some players back we can push on even further.”
The Magpies have won three consecutive games against Manchester United in all competitions for the first time since January 1922.
“It is down to the team and how hard we work for each other,” Gordon said. “I am just trying to work hard and be someone who the team can rely on and I am getting the rewards at the moment so I am happy.”
Gordon scored his sixth goal of the Premier League season in the 55th minute when Kieran Trippier played a ball across the six-yard box after Manchester lost possession in midfield.
Miguel Almiron narrowly missed getting to the ball before a wide-open Trippier swept it in from the back post for Gordon to score.
“It’s amazing to win today,” Gordon said. “It’s been a massive week for us, some good moments, some difficult moments but we came through it as a team.”
Newcastle, who drew 1-1 with Paris St Germain in the Champions League on Wednesday, dominated the match, peppering United keeper Andre Onana with 22 shots compared with the visitors’ seven.
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Manchester United pressed for a late equaliser with a flurry of chances including Harry Maguire’s headed effort that was ruled out for offside.
Newcastle were a more cohesive and hungry side in halting their opponents’ run of four away wins. Manchester United have lost all five league games against top-half teams this season.
If not for Maguire and fellow defender Luke Shaw, the score may have been more lopsided.
“We had a tough first half and said at halftime we were pleased to be in the game,” Ten Hag said. “We had a good comeback in the last part of the game.
“I will talk with my team. We had some chances. We thought we scored a goal but it was offside. We could have scored.”
Newcastle had a terrific chance just before halftime when Trippier curled in a beautiful free kick that caught keeper Andre Onana rooted to the spot, but the ball glanced off the crossbar and dropped just outside the goal line.
One negative for Newcastle, already depleted by injuries, was keeper Nick Pope’s replacement by Martin Dubravka in the 86th minute after dislocating his shoulder. Pope walked gingerly off the pitch with the help of medical staff.
“It will be a massive blow for us if he is ruled out for any length of time,” Howe said.
“It looked really innocuous, but that is usually the way and they are normally the more serious ones. You could see he was in distress and it looked like he dislocated his shoulder just diving.”
