Moyes Soaking The Pressure As ManUtd Loose At Home To Newcastle

Manchester United slipped to a second home defeat in four days as Yohan Cabaye’s second-half goal gave Newcastle United their first win at Old Trafford since 1972. After an uneventful first period, United had started to pose Newcastle problems in the early stages of the second half when a swift counter-attack from
the visitors culminated in Cabaye slotting home Moussa Sissoko’s pull-back.
David Moyes made seven changes to the side beaten by Everton on Wednesday, with Robin van Persie the most notable returnee, coming in for the suspended Wayne Rooney. The Dutchman was given little room to shine, however, in an attritional first period completely at odds with the traditionally open, exciting fare this fixture is renowned for. Any United forays – usually conducted through the lively Adnan Januzaj – met their end at the obdurate defensive work of the visitors, with Mike Williamson and Fabricio Coloccini immovable. Newcastle’s noteworthy efforts were condensed into two Mathieu Debuchy chances, with David De Gea equal to both a stinging shot and a powerful header.
In the early stages of the second half, however, United belatedly began to work Tim Krul. The Dutchman first repelled Chicharito’s powerful low shot with his legs, then plunged to his right to clutch Januzaj’s neat volley. Krul was beaten by Patrice Evra’s header on 55 minutes, but the Frenchman’s effort hit the inside of the Newcastle post and was unwittingly knocked away from goal by Vurnon Anita’s hand.
Just as United were tightening their grip on the game, Newcastle struck on the counter-attack. Evra’s headed clearance ricocheted off Sissoko and fell for the Magpies forward, who motored into the area and squared for Cabaye to slot a low finish past De Gea, via a slight deflection off Nemanja Vidic. Moyes introduced Premier League debutant Wilfried Zaha and Anderson to try and rescue the game, and although van Persie had a header correctly disallowed for offside, United came no closer to doing so than when Zaha’s curling effort flashed wide of Krul’s far post.