“This is the best trip I’ve ever been on…”
Just 25 minutes had passed at Old Trafford — for more than half-a-century Newcastle United’s “Theatre of Nightmares” — yet the partying had started in the away end.
Here they were, 3,000 Geordies — who had travelled across the M62 with rarely held expectation and optimism, given Newcastle were bookies’ favourites at Old Trafford for possibly the first time in the Premier League era — already dancing in the stands as Eddie Howe’s team danced around Manchester United on the pitch.
That was merely the start. An entire repertoire of roasting followed.
Those age-old favourites, “You’ve seen United, now f*** off home”, and, “Whose that team we call United”, were joined by a fresh ditty. “Say hello to Sunderland,” the away end chortled, shortly before Ruben Amorim admitted his team were indeed in a relegation battle.
WHO’S THAT TEAM WE CALL UNIIIITED? 🔥 pic.twitter.com/blptTkIlH3
— Newcastle United (@NUFC) December 30, 2024
The celebrations started early on the field, too. The talismanic captain, Bruno Guimaraes, clenched his fists and screamed in delight when he won an added-time throw-in off Diogo Dalot. The Brazilian stayed behind after his team-mates had been serenaded by the travelling fans and roared his approval.
Players and staff had privately discussed how important it was to deliver a special night for their supporters and for each other. Post-match, Dan Burn, a lifelong fan, was euphoric, Fabian Schar winked his approval, Alexander Isak blew a kiss and even Howe, rather sheepishly, smiled towards the camera.
This team! 😍 pic.twitter.com/WBzQfvRinP
— Newcastle United (@NUFC) December 30, 2024
“We know this fixture has caused a lot of hurt for our fans,” Howe said. “That wasn’t lost on us.”
There have been some huge highs under Howe but a league win at the red side of Manchester had eluded his team.
On this occasion, logic, form and every measurable metric pointed towards a Newcastle victory.
History aside, that is. Newcastle and Old Trafford have not been compatible since the days when John Tudor led the black-and-white-striped line. Tudor retired in 1979 and is now 78.
Throughout many Newcastle supporters’ lifetimes, their side’s record at Old Trafford has been abysmal.
Newcastle had played Manchester United away on 29 occasions in the Premier League and lost 19 times, drawing nine. Their solitary victory came in December 2013 under Alan Pardew.
Extend the timescale back to 1972 and Newcastle had visited Old Trafford 39 times. There were 28 defeats, 10 draws and that single Yohan-Cabaye-inspired triumph.
“Whenever you get a statistic like that, you want to change it,” Howe said beforehand. “This is a unique game.”
(Carl Recine/Getty Images)
The figures involved are too extreme as to have been merely coincidental.
Under Sir Alex Ferguson, Manchester United may have dominated domestic football, but either side of the Scot’s dynasty, there have been some bang-average Manchester United teams who Newcastle have simply failed to overcome on their own turf.
Yet, by general consensus, this may be the worst Manchester United team in living memory.
Manchester United had lost five of their 10 matches in all competitions under Amorim, including their previous three. Newcastle, meanwhile, had won four games in succession, scoring 14 and conceding only once.
Under Howe, there had also been hints that Newcastle’s Old Trafford past could finally be left there.
A goalless draw in October 2022 was followed by a chucklesome 3-0 Carabao Cup win in November 2023, delivered by a team containing six full-backs. The 3-2 reversal in May was a frustrating setback, but Newcastle had at least been competitive.
In (an admittedly unscientific) poll conducted on X during the three hours leading towards kick-off, the abnormal, uncomfortable and unfamiliar position Newcastle fans found themselves in was evident. Of the 1,920 respondents, 57.9 per cent said they were “cautiously optimistic” and 18.4 per cent were “very optimistic”. There were still 12.4 per cent of fans who was “pessimistic” and 11.3 per cent who were “absolutely bricking it”.
📢 #NUFC fans, how are you feeling about the game tonight?
⚫⚪ Newcastle head to Old Trafford, a ground they have won at once in the league since 1972, with expectation – do you share that optimism?
⁉️ Answers below please…
(CC @ToonPolls) #MUFC #MUNNEW
— Chris Waugh (@ChrisDHWaugh) December 30, 2024
That final group need not have worried. Rather than be cowed by pressure, Newcastle overwhelmed an admittedly-pathetic Manchester United.
Isak scored inside four minutes and Joelinton doubled that advantage a quarter-of-an-hour later.
Guimaraes, Sandro Tonali and Joelinton embarrassed the ageing Casemiro and Christian Eriksen to such an extent that Joshua Zirkzee was unceremoniously hooked after 33 minutes so that Amorim could get another midfielder on. By that stage, the game had run away from Manchester United; or, more precisely, Newcastle’s midfield had taken it away from them by overpowering, outrunning and out-thinking them.
“Let’s be clear, Newcastle are hammering Manchester United,” Gary Neville said on Sky Sports commentary.
Newcastle conjured 10 shots before Manchester United mustered any. The home side’s first effort on goal did not arrive until the 34th minute.
“We respect the opposition but we don’t fear anybody,” Howe said, referencing Newcastle’s Old Trafford record once more. “Our start was electric.”
There were sticky moments, as there was always going to be, given the demons this stadium holds for Newcastle. Harry Maguire hit the post and there were second half penalty-box blocks, while Newcastle managed only one effort after the break. Supporters would be forgiven if they had momentary flashbacks to the two-goal lead Rafa Beneitez’s team threw away on this ground in October 2018.
Yet, on this occasion, the game was already long since won. Newcastle were just superior in every conceivable way.
Newcastle may have added further to their 21 goals scored across December, or Isak to his 25 Premier League strikes across 2024, but they did not concede either, making it four successive top-flight clean sheets and 360 minutes since Martin Dubravka’s net has been breached. It is four straight league wins for Howe’s side for the first time since April 2023 and, since the start of November, only Liverpool (23) and Nottingham Forest (21) have claimed more points than Newcastle (20).
“We knew about it (the club’s record here),” Joelinton said. “It’s the perfect way to end 2024.”
After the Dan Ashworth saga, the agonising manner in which Manchester United stole European qualification from Newcastle in May, that painful Carabao Cup final defeat in 2023 and more than 50 years of misery at Old Trafford, this really was a momentous win.
“I do think it’s a big step forward,” Howe said, when asked about how his team managed the newfound expectation. “But we need to do it again at two other grounds, Tottenham and Arsenal.”
Howe may not be basking in this historic triumph, but supporters certainly should. For once, the trip to Old Trafford genuinely may have been the best one those 3,000 fans have ever been on.
(Header photo: Stu Forster/Getty Images)
