Manchester United hold off Newcastle in high-tempo but goalless draw

Breathless and invigorating and a touch scrappy: this was the tale of a goalless draw contested in bright autumnal sunshine that Manchester United and Newcastle United will each feel they should have won.

Erik ten Hag stated his team wished to tell the story of the game but the visitors ensured they did not and, instead, the fare was akin to basketball in an end-to-end nature that largely bypassed measured midfield play. In the closing moments Casemiro released Marcus Rashford who rounded Nick Pope but on passing to Fred the midfielder’s radar was awry: it was as fair summation of what was on show all afternoon with Rashford somehow missing a point-blank header in added time.

Manchester United’s start was sharp. Fred, from distance, was the first to pull the trigger though his aim was askew. Lisandro Martínez stabbed the ball away from Miguel Almirón. The Reds roved forward and Cristiano Ronaldo, in for an under-the-weather Rashford, troubled Fabian Schar. Martínez illustrated further verve when covering off a Callum Wilson thrust, the latter thwarted by David De Gea, making a 500th United appearance, as he hoped to finish Jacob Murphy’s through ball.

Newcastle soon counter-punched. Luke Shaw had to repel Kieran Tripper in a passage that led to Joelinton’s corner from the left. Wilson, earlier, had yelled for a penalty when Raphael Varane bumped him but Craig Pawson and the VAR were not interested.

The contest’s rhythm was jab-jab, thrust-thrust; one moment Fred sprinted onto a ball along the left, the next Trippier’s corner was headed by an unmarked Schar, United needing to tighten their dead-ball defending.

Antony, on three league goals, made a familiar cut inside and blasted over. This followed a smart no-look pass