Edinson Cavani returns and scores in Manchester United draw with Newcastle

An exhibition of interventions by David de Gea and the opportunism of Uruguayan Edinson Cavani on his return to the pitch prevented Manchester United’s defeat at St. James’ Park (1-1) on Monday against Newcastle who showed pride despite his moment of great difficulty and that he lost his two best forwards, Callum Wilson and Allan Saint-Maximin, through injury.

The Boxing Day hangover kept the show going in a duel that put a damper on United’s reaction since the arrival of German Ralf Rangnick to his bench. Victim of his defensive insecurity, supported at all times by De Gea against a vertical Newcastle who played direct and knew how to do damage, only the entrance on the scene of Cavani changed the sign of a match in which Cristiano Ronaldo did not appear at all good and could be sent off for a hard tackle that turned yellow.

The match was in the offing for Newcastle at the start, after seven minutes, by effectively punishing a mistake by Raphael Varane. He lost the ball, slow, after stealing and out of position. It caused the defensive disorder of the Reds, who were precisely punished by Saint-Maximin at the start of their great match. Two threats and an unstoppable right hand, the only attempt that could overcome De Gea.

With rhythm, high pressure, attacking with speed, the penultimate classified at times parked his problems to put Manchester before the ropes. The Brazilian Joelinton multiplied in defensive tasks and appearing in attack generating danger. He brushed the stick in moments of bewilderment for Rangnick’s team, unable to take advantage of possession and without endangering the most-thrashed team in the category beyond a strategic action that goalkeeper Dúbravka took out of Greenwood.

Newcastle had their second goal annulled for offside by Wilson, and things began to go wrong with his injury, after making a bad gesture that caused a muscle injury in a calf. Rangnick resorted to the return of Cavani at half-time, after two months away from the pitch, and changed the panorama by increasing the offensive presence and the feeling of danger. The position of Bruno Fernandes was key, annulled on the wing, who went on to direct the game in the middle.

However, De Gea was the main protagonist with his interventions. He avoided the second with a save to Saint-Maximin point-blank, made a great save down to Fraser after a counterattack and scored points with a flight to get a ball that headed to the squad with three minutes left.

Manchester United drew in the 71st minute, with Cavani appearing where it did the most damage to put the tie, and even had the comeback with a chopped ball that the local defense took out before the pride of the St. James’ Park fans who cheered the squander yourselves to get a draw.

Newcastle vs. Manchester United – Minuto a minuto

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