THE BUSBY BABE
NEWCASTLE .... 0 MAN UTD .... 2
OLE GUNNAR SOLSKJAER joined Sir Matt Busby in the record books as Romelu Lukaku declared the Reds have turned a corner.
The caretaker boss became only the second Manchester United boss to win his first four games, emulating Busby’s record going back to 1946.
Lukaku, who is yet to start under him, came off the bench to fire them in front with his first touch on Tyneside.
And Marcus Rashford kept up his rich goalscoring form under Solskjaer with his third goal of the Norwegian’s reign.
The Reds boss, the “Babyfaced Assassin” who played alongside Cristiano Ronaldo at Old Trafford, said: “Marcus has the Cristiano hit – it swerves everywhere.
“But I liked his goal. Calmed himself down, just passed it in. Well done. He is only 21, you have to remember that. You need to rattle Paul Pogba at times to get him going, he has been immense for us.”
Having scored 12 since Jose Mourinho’s exit the Reds were shackled until the 64th minute.
And it was Solskjaer’s substitution a minute earlier that shook the game out of its stalemate as Lukaku came on along with Alexis Sanchez.
Rashford lined up a freekick 30 yards out and drove it down the middle of the goal.
Toon No.1 Martin Dubravka was man of the match on his Premier League debut in this fixture last season which the Geordies won 1-0.
But he spilled Rashford’s effort and Lukaku pounced.
The Belgian talisman said: “You have to be ready as a sub. I knew the goalkeeper might fumble it, you have to gamble. It’s totally different with the new manager. We’re all learning from him, so far so good.”
The second goal was well crafted on the break with Rashford and Lukaku tearing up the right, freeing Sanchez.
IAN MURTAGH AT ST JAMES’ PARK
And the Chilean threaded through to Rashford who slotted in as the Reds moved within six points of the top four.
Toon boss Rafa Benitez, who saw Christian Atsu come close on three occasions in the first half, said: “The final third is the key and that’s where you pay big money for players who can make the difference.”