Manchester United's season descended into farce in one moment vs Newcastle

The only moment Manchester United supporters celebrated all evening was the substitution of a beleaguered misfit.

They vented at Andre Onana for dawdling on the ball but outright turned on Joshua Zirkzee. First, for constantly being on his heels rather than his toes. Then when his number was up.

Zirkzee's removal in the 33rd minute was raucously cheered. Ruben Amorim offered a pat of consolation, Zirkzee fetched a jacket from the dugout and jogged down the touchline towards the tunnel.

Some United supporters applauded him but they soon turned to boos. Zirkzee was not injured and eventually resurfaced to diplomatic applause. He still got more of an earful than Marcus Rashford, publicly intent on leaving United. Rashford was subjected to his own personal humiliation when Antony was elected to come on ahead of him.

Zirkzee's race is already run at United and the reaction was the most damning a withdrawn United player has suffered. Plenty of supporters expressed disgust at the braying contingent. A high percentage may regret their conduct once the dust settles..

The Stretford End's rendition of 'Amorim's red and white army' at the half-time shrill was more becoming. There were boos but they were drowned out by the commendable support. Kobbie Mainoo's arrival for Zirkzee had elicited two good chances for Rasmus Hojlund and Casemiro in the last knockings of a first half that flattered United.

Attacking the Stretford End for the second 45, those chants were amplified. In this fixture of 14th versus fifth, the United in red lost respectably. This is how far they have fallen.

The matchgoers have accepted this short-term pain and it is brutal. The Zirkzee change upset Newcastle's rhythm and Harry Maguire nodded against the post