MANCHESTER/LONDON, Jan 4: Manchester United cemented their top-four place, moving level on points with Newcastle as goals by Casemiro, Luke Shaw and Marcus Rashford sealed a 3-0 victory at Old Trafford
Manchester United are now five points clear of fifth-placed Tottenham Hotspur after a fourth successive league win.
Brazil midfielder Casemiro volleyed them ahead from close range in the 23rd minute and they never looked like dropping points once Shaw made it 2-0 early in the second half.
“We scored great goals and I think we should have scored even more but we could have conceded one or two and I am not happy with that because David (de Gea) had to make good saves,” United manager Erik ten Hag said.
“I’m happy with the result. Today it was not our best game. We have to be honest, we didn’t play that smart as a team.”
United is in fourth place and tied on points with third-place Newcastle. It was a fourth home league win in a row without conceding for the first time since 2017, a sign of United’s rediscovered resilience.
Ten Hag has certainly altered the mood around the club but the back four came straight from Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s reign as Harry Maguire and Victor Lindelof were both restored at center half while Aaron Wan-Bissaka and Shaw were the full backs. Lisandro Martinez, available again after Argentina’s World Cup victory, was limited to an 88th-minute introduction after parading his winner’s medal before kickoff.
United’s breakthrough came from a set piece after Rashford drew a foul from Adam Smith on the left. Christian Eriksen floated in a ball that Casemiro met at the near post to guide home on the volley.
Donny van de Beek did not finish the first half because he was sent hobbling from the field by a poor challenge from Marcos Senesi.
Alejandro Garnacho was sent on to replace him, and had an assist just four minutes into the second half as United took advantage of the lots of space left by the Bournemouth defense.Shaw carried the ball from his own half, shifted it to the right, and then arrived to apply the finish as Garnacho rolled the ball back into the box.
Anthony Martial headed straight down the tunnel with a potential injury when he was replaced in the 69th minute, but United kept pushing and Garnacho bent a shot against the outside of the post.
United are back in action on Friday when they host Everton in the FA Cup third round.
Magpies hold Arsenal
Newcastle didn’t get the win but held Premier League leader Arsenal scoreless in a 0-0 draw between title challengers Tuesday.
The Gunners have scored in every other league game this season en route to what is now an eight-point lead over Manchester City, which plays at Chelsea on Thursday.
The draw at Emirates Stadium allowed both teams to extend unbeaten runs in league play. Newcastle’s streak rose to 13; Arsenal’s to 11.
Arsenal started strong but faded and rarely threatened to penetrate the defense of third-place Newcastle. The Magpies have the best defensive record in the league, conceding only 11 times.
The match featured few chances but produced eight yellow cards and a brief exchange of words between managers Eddie Howe and Arsenal’s Mikel Arteta.
Newcastle goalkeeper Nick Pope made a save to deny Eddie Nketiah a late winner.
Both teams next play FA Cup games against third-division opponents. Arsenal is at Oxford United next Monday night. Newcastle visits Sheffield Wednesday on Saturday and then hosts Leicester on Tuesday in the quarterfinals of League Cup.
Everton humilated
Irish teenager Evan Ferguson scored in his first Premier League start to help Brighton rout Everton 4-1 and pile pressure on manager Frank Lampard on Tuesday.Everton’s winless run extended to six games, leaving Lampard’s team just one point and two places above the relegation zone.
For the second successive home match, the Toffees were booed off the field at Goodison Park. A flare was thrown onto the pitch when they went down 4-0 while chants of “sack the board” rang out.
Brighton rose to eighth place by using a seven-minute spell early in the second half to break the game open after Kaoru Mitoma’s first-half strike.
The 18-year-old Ferguson scored in the 51st minute and provided an assist on Solly March’s goal three minutes later as the crowd booed the home team.
Pascal Gross scored in the 57th after he pounced on Idrissa Gana Gueye’s errant pass and chipped the ball over goalkeeper Jordan Pickford.
Demarai Gray scored in stoppage time for Everton
Fulham beat Foxes
Aleksandar Mitrovic’s early goal was enough for Fulham in a 1-0 win at Leicester in the Premier League on Tuesday.
The Serbia striker’s 11th goal matching his best league haul helped the visitors win their third straight game and hold onto seventh place, within sight of European competition.
The London club has 28 points the same amount it was relegated with in 2021.
In the 17th minute, Mitrovic chested down Willian’s cross into the box and fired it past goalkeeper Danny Ward.
Inconsistent all season, Brendan Rodgers’ team lost its third consecutive league game. Tielemans hit the crossbar for Leicester in the second half. (AP)