Newcastle United 0-1 Manchester United

Ashley Young celebrates his winning strike - his first for 14 months

• Smalling survives strong penalty appeal
• Evans and Cisse appear to spit at each other
• Di Maria substituted after 59 minutes
• Gutierrez makes first appearance after cancer

Ashley Young capitalised on a late error by Newcastle keeper Tim Krul to give Manchester United victory.

Krul had made a string of fine saves but played Mehdi Abeid's backpass to Young and the winger finished well.

Manchester United defender Jonny Evans and Newcastle United striker Papiss Cisse appeared to spit at each other in a heated first-half exchange.

Newcastle brought on Jonas Gutierrez in the second half for his first game in 17 months after overcoming cancer.

His was not the only notable substitution, with Red Devils midfielder Angel Di Maria coming off for a second consecutive game after a subdued display.

Di Maria is not the only Red Devils player struggling for form this season and this was another laboured victory to keep them in the top four.

Fellow summer recruit Radamel Falcao was an unused substitute - despite the absence of strikers Robin van Persie and James Wilson.

Louis van Gaal said his decision to opt for Marouane Fellaini in place of Falcao was prompted by the expectation that Newcastle would press their visitors aggressively and Newcastle strived to make an early impact.

Manchester United's Premier League run-in
Tottenham (h) 15 March	Everton (a) 26 April
Liverpool (a) 22 March	West Brom (h) 2 May
Aston Villa (h) 4 April	Crystal Palace (a) 9 May
Manchester City (h) 12 April	Arsenal (h) 16 May
Chelsea (a) 18 April	Hull (a) 24 May

The away team were lucky to survive a penalty appeal in the early stages when Chris Smalling mistimed his challenge and brought down Emmanuel Riviere as the French forward burst into the 18-yard box.

The flashpoint between Evans and Cisse came in the closing stages of the first half as the pair jostled for position. Both appeared to kick out before Evans spat in Cisse's direction as the striker climbed back to his feet. Cisse then spat back at Evans's neck but neither was punished by referee Anthony Taylor.

David De Gea is one Manchester United player whose form has not been questioned and the Red Devils were indebted to their goalkeeper for keeping them level.

The Spaniard threw himself at Riviere's first time effort to make a point-blank save after Fabricio Coloccini's header across goal.

At the other end, Krul went one better, making a superb double save to deny Fellaini and Young in quick succession after Di Maria's pass sprung the offside trap.

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Man Utd in a rat race - Van Gaal

The introduction of Gutierrez for Ryan Taylor added to the atmosphere and he was given the captain's armband by Coloccini. However his first action back in professional football was to collect a yellow card for a foul on Adnan Januzaj.

After 89 minutes the game's defining moment came. Abeid, under pressure from Wayne Rooney, put his goalkeeper in trouble with a poor backpass but Krul's clearance was weak and allowed Young to drill the ball into the bottom corner.

There was still time for De Gea to make one more save, diving to his right to keep out Cisse's header from six yards.

Newcastle United manager John Carver: "I'm devastated, I'm annoyed. I needed five to 10 minutes to calm down. Our guys gave every inch. But when you play Man Utd you have to concentrate for every minute and we didn't.

"I think we had the best chances and you have to put one of those away. You just wonder if they will hit you on the sucker punch and they did.

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Carver 'devastated and annoyed'

"I'm devastated for our guys. The goal at the end the way it came, young Abeid has learned a harsh lesson, he is learning the game."

Manchester United manager Louis van Gaal: "I think we have dominated for 90 minutes, maybe our best match of the season, especially in an away match we deserved the victory.

"We didn't reward ourselves in the first half. It was a narrow escape because our rivals have won also so it's a rat race.

"We created a lot of chances and could have scored much earlier. They also made two big chances and I think David De Gea rescued us at that time."

Newcastle's Jonas Gutierrez on his return to playing after battling testicular cancer: "I will remember for the rest of my life the reception. I'm really happy with the reception and the support the fans gave me and the support through the illness.

"The support I have had from clubs all around the world, they don't matter about the shirt, it has helped me keep fighting. For people having the trouble I have been through, you have to be positive. If you believe in the heart you can beat the problems, you can."

Newcastle have won just two of their last 25 Premier League matches against Manchester United

Newcastle have failed to score in four of their last five home league meetings with Manchester United

Manchester United have lost just two of their last 18 Premier League as they target a return to the Champions League

Jonas Gutierrez's previous Premier League appearance for Newcastle came in October 2013

Ashley Young's late winner was his first Premier League goal since January 2014

• Line-ups
• Match Stats
• Live Text

Line-ups

Newcastle

• 1Krul
• 22Janmaat
• 6Williamson
• 2Coloccini
• 4TaylorSubstituted forGutiérrezat 65'minutesBooked at 67mins
• 25Obertan
• 30Abeid
• 7Sissoko
• 28AmeobiSubstituted forGouffranat 81'minutes
• 29RiviereSubstituted forPérezat 59'minutes
• 9Cissé

Substitutes

• 8Anita
• 11Gouffran
• 17Pérez
• 18Gutiérrez
• 32Armstrong
• 37Satka
• 41Woodman

Man Utd

• 1de Gea
• 25A ValenciaBooked at 84mins
• 12Smalling
• 6Evans
• 5RojoBooked at 60minsSubstituted forCarrickat 89'minutes
• 21Herrera
• 17Blind
• 7Di MaríaSubstituted forJanuzajat 59'minutes
• 31FellainiSubstituted forMataat 82'minutes
• 18Young
• 10Rooney

Substitutes

• 4Jones
• 8Mata
• 9Falcao
• 11Januzaj
• 13Lindegaard
• 16Carrick
• 33McNair

Referee:

Anthony Taylor

Attendance:

49,801

Match Stats

Home TeamNewcastleAway TeamMan Utd

Possession

Home32%

Away68%

Shots

Home9

Away11

Shots on Target

Home2

Away5

Corners

Home4

Away1

Fouls

Home6

Away14

Live Text

Posted at

Match ends, Newcastle United 0, Manchester United 1.

Full Time

Posted at 90'+5'

Second Half ends, Newcastle United 0, Manchester United 1.

Posted at 90'+4'

Attempt missed. Mehdi Abeid (Newcastle United) right footed shot from outside the box misses to the left.

Posted at 90'+1'

Juan Mata (Manchester United) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

Posted at 90'+1'

Foul by Daryl Janmaat (Newcastle United).

Posted at 90'+1'

Attempt saved. Papiss Demba Cissé (Newcastle United) header from the centre of the box is saved in the bottom left corner. Assisted by Moussa Sissoko with a cross.

Goal!

Posted at 89'

Goal! Newcastle United 0, Manchester United 1. Ashley Young (Manchester United) right footed shot from the centre of the box to the bottom left corner.

Substitution

Posted at 89'

Substitution, Manchester United. Michael Carrick replaces Marcos Rojo.

Posted at 86'

Foul by Marcos Rojo (Manchester United).

Posted at 86'

Mehdi Abeid (Newcastle United) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

Booking

Posted at 84'

Antonio Valencia (Manchester United) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.

Posted at 84'

Foul by Antonio Valencia (Manchester United).

Posted at 84'

Yoan Gouffran (Newcastle United) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

Substitution

Posted at 82'

Substitution, Manchester United. Juan Mata replaces Marouane Fellaini.

Substitution

Posted at 81'

Substitution, Newcastle United. Yoan Gouffran replaces Sammy Ameobi.

Posted at 80'

Foul by Chris Smalling (Manchester United).

Posted at 80'

Papiss Demba Cissé (Newcastle United) wins a free kick on the left wing.

Posted at 79'

Offside, Newcastle United. Mehdi Abeid tries a through ball, but Daryl Janmaat is caught offside.

Posted at 75'

Offside, Manchester United. Antonio Valencia tries a through ball, but Wayne Rooney is caught offside.

Posted at 75'

Attempt saved. Wayne Rooney (Manchester United) header from the centre of the box is saved in the bottom right corner. Assisted by Ashley Young with a cross.

Posted at 72'

Foul by Marouane Fellaini (Manchester United).

Posted at 72'

Ayoze Pérez (Newcastle United) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

Posted at 68'

Attempt missed. Papiss Demba Cissé (Newcastle United) right footed shot from the centre of the box is close, but misses to the left. Assisted by Ayoze Pérez following a fast break.

Booking

Posted at 67'

Jonás Gutiérrez (Newcastle United) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.

Posted at 67'

Adnan Januzaj (Manchester United) wins a free kick on the right wing.

Posted at 67'

Foul by Jonás Gutiérrez (Newcastle United).

Posted at 66'

Attempt blocked. Ayoze Pérez (Newcastle United) right footed shot from a difficult angle on the left is blocked. Assisted by Papiss Demba Cissé.

Posted at 66'

Attempt missed. Papiss Demba Cissé (Newcastle United) right footed shot from outside the box misses to the left. Assisted by Ayoze Pérez.

Substitution

Posted at 65'

Substitution, Newcastle United. Jonás Gutiérrez replaces Ryan Taylor.

Posted at 64'

Offside, Manchester United. Daley Blind tries a through ball, but Wayne Rooney is caught offside.

Posted at 62'

Offside, Manchester United. Ashley Young tries a through ball, but Wayne Rooney is caught offside.

Booking

Posted at 60'

Marcos Rojo (Manchester United) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.

Posted at 60'

Foul by Marcos Rojo (Manchester United).

Posted at 60'

Gabriel Obertan (Newcastle United) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

Substitution

Posted at 59'

Substitution, Newcastle United. Ayoze Pérez replaces Emmanuel Rivière.

Substitution

Posted at 59'

Substitution, Manchester United. Adnan Januzaj replaces Ángel Di María.

Posted at 57'

Offside, Manchester United. Ángel Di María tries a through ball, but Wayne Rooney is caught offside.

Posted at 55'

Foul by Marcos Rojo (Manchester United).

Posted at 55'

Gabriel Obertan (Newcastle United) wins a free kick on the right wing.

Posted at 54'

Attempt missed. Marcos Rojo (Manchester United) left footed shot from outside the box is high and wide to the left.

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