Marcus Rashford and Anthony Martial have not done what Roy Keane did at Manchester United

A member of the Manchester United backroom staff plonked a drinks carrier down by the waiting minibus outside the steps of St James’ Park and it began leaking.

One of the gregarious Geordies pointed it out and the United staffer was unperturbed. United’s defence was about as watertight. Such negligence seems rife at the club, whether it be shoring up the defence or reinforcing the Old Trafford roof.

The United coach had long since pulled away from a raucous St James’. Newcastle supporters were delighted, if not ecstatic. They know they are in the same slipstream as United again and have become accustomed to dominating them on their own patch. United are not a scalp worthy of a celebratory dressing room image.

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Steve McClaren was alert to a handful of United players who attempted a quick getaway down the tunnel at full-time. McClaren made a clapping gesture, as though some players are alien to the concept of applauding supporters who have travelled from Merseyside to Tyneside, via Istanbul, over six taxing days.

From the press box behind the dugout, the away end did not sound mutinous and remained defiant in the dying embers, chanting ‘We’ll never die’ despite the lifeless performance. United fans have been at their most disgruntled this season at Old Trafford and their next three fixtures are at home.

Marcus Rashford and Anthony Martial’s substitutions elicited cheers in successive home defeats to Manchester City and Newcastle. Plenty of United fans on Saturday evening will have been relieved at their simultaneous removals on 61 minutes.

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