It was a slightly perverse situation at St James’ Park last night in the sense that Louis van Gaal severely weakened his own hand at the same time as strengthening it.

For the first time since beating Southampton 3-2 at St Mary’s on September 20, Van Gaal’s United attacked with a sense of merriment and menace many feared they had lost amid the unremitting tedium of recent months.

Sure, they overcame Everton 3-0 at Goodison Park in between periods but, as impressively clinical as they were at times in that game, there was still a rigid sterility to much of their attacking play.

Last night was different. There was a carefree fluidity to the way they often surged forward against Newcastle United and the metamorphosis