Subs say it all Somehow Manchester United were still in this game with 10 minutes to go, but the double change Erik ten Hag made said it all about the strength of this squad at the moment, partly as a result of injuries but more accurately through muddled recruitment and out-of-form players.
Two like-for-like attacking changes had already been made and that left Ten Hag with nowhere to turn. The final roll of the dice features an on-loan left-back and an on-loan defensive midfielder being thrown on.
It was hardly a double substitution to strike fear into the hearts of the Newcastle defence. When Amrabat smashed United's last shot high into the Gallowgate, it summed it up.
The alternatives were hardly encouraging. Facundo Pellistri has rarely looked good enough for United and Donny van de Beek is now a passenger here to make up the numbers.