A single goal from Yohan Cabaye helped Newcastle United to their first win at Old Trafford since 1972 and pile yet more pressure on under fire manager David Moyes. The Frenchman stunned the home crowd on the hour mark with a close ranged finish after disastrous defending from Patrice Evra as the Magpies claimed their first away win over the champions in over 40 years. The big news ahead of kick-off was Robin van Persie being named in the starting XI after four games out with a groin injury. But even the returning Dutchman couldn't inspire a lackluster United who are now four games without a league win and could find themselves 15 points off leaders Arsenal by the end of the weekend. The Magpies showed the same sort of industry exhibited by Everton on Wednesday and got at United, in what was a cagey opening half of very few clear-cut opportunities. Nani and Adnan Januzaj looked lively on the wings, the former going on a run on the left side and finding the latter, whose attempted pass into the area was well intercepted. Loic Remy then headed over the bar after Moussa Sissoko floated in a cross but the Frenchman could not quite fully connect with his effort on the 15 minute mark. Tiote then found Cabaye on the right but the midfielder skewed his effort well wide on 25 minutes - though his effort proved to be an early warning sign for the Red Devils. United went into the second half with more attacking intent and came close to opening the scoring on a number of occasions in a wide open second half. Robin van Persie opened the Newcastle defence with a splitting 50-yard ball forward which found Javier Hernandez, but his shot on goal was saved low by Krul on 51 minutes. Moments later, Evra headed toward goal but Vurnon Anita cleared off the line as a melee of players dived in, though Krul collected the loose ball to clear his lines as United pressure mounted. But United were hit by a sucker punch when Evra was disposessed on the left by Moussa Sissoko, whose pass deep into the area found Cabaye in space to rifle his shot into David de Gea's bottom corner. It was typically one way traffic after that as United piled forward in search of a leveller. Van Persie thought he had pulled one back on 72 minutes when he headed home from close range, but was correctly ruled offside as Newcastle held on to a historic win that moves them into sixth.
Joseph is an accredited football journalist and has interviewed nearly all of the current 20 Barclay's Premier League managers. He is also a correspondent for Bleacher Report and has written for Caught Offside and Give Me Football.
