CR7 STRAIGHT BACK DOWN TO BUSINESS
STEVE BRUCE must have feared the worst from the moment Javier Manquillo equalised.
After all, he has seen it many times before at Old Trafford, as both player and manager.
Manchester United were struggling under the weight of expectation generated by Cristiano Ronaldo’s return.
After failing to make their early dominance count they looked a pale imitation of a team with title aspirations.
Newcastle even got a whiff of only their second win on United soil in 49 years after Manquillo had cancelled out Ronaldo’s predictable strike in first-half injury time, by driving the Toon level after 55 minutes.
Then, crash, bang, wallop. Three goals in the last half-hour, a crushing victory – and United’s fans went home singing about the brilliance of ‘Ronnie’ and how they’re going to win the league.
Bruce experienced how quickly visiting teams can be swallowed whole when they are defending the Stretford End and United get the scent of blood during nine years in Sir Alex Ferguson’s allconquering side.
This was his 26th game as a manager against his former club. He still has just the single victory.
Ronaldo scored again. Then Bruno Fernandes showed there is more than one Portugeezer in town with a brilliant strike from distance before substitute Jesse Lingard sealed the deal in injury time.
It was another example of how United can become an unstoppable force when their undoubted talent gathers momentum.
No wonder boss Ole Gunnar Solskjaer was delighted. He said: “When you win a game you enjoy it. When you see fans happy you really enjoy it.
“There was expectation today – but they all delivered. We have to deliver every time. That’s Manchester United. It doesn’t change.
“This is what Cristiano is about. This was a day for everyone to enjoy.
“It’s too early for me to predict where we’ll end up. But it’s changed the atmosphere.
“This is what Man Utd fans should feel like.”
Newcastle did well to quieten Old Trafford early on.
They even carved out the best chance of the opening 45 minutes when Joe Willock robbed Fernandes inside the box only to blaze over.
Then, in injury time, Freddie Woodman spilled Mason Greenwood’s rifled shot and Ronaldo pounced like the predator he is. It was his 118th goal for United – 4,496 days after his last one.
But Newcastle levelled when Miguel Almiron got the better of Luke Shaw and Harry Maguire with a spin and a turn of pace. His pass left Raphael Varane alone to cope with the trickery of Allan Saint-Maximin, who rolled the ball down the side of the defender for Manquillo to give David De Gea no hope. For a couple of minutes the home side were rattled.
But Paul Pogba restored some order with a simple ball to
Shaw that let the England full-back storm forward and lay a perfect pass into Ronaldo’s path. Any doubts he has lost his pace and power were dispelled as he held off Issac Hayden to ram a shot through Woodman’s legs.
And Fernandes’ long-range blast on 80 minutes bulged the back of the net before the keeper had even thought about making a save.
And the swaggering Pogba orchestrated the final goal for Lingard in injury time, the midfielder swivelling to score after Anthony Martial’s stepover had put him in space.
By now, the Toon Army were calling for Bruce to be sacked and he was clearly rattled when asked to comment on whispers his squad had been given time off in the international break.
He said: “What can I say to supporters? They have an opinion but I can’t comment on it.
“We trained all week. Our preparation was meticulous.”