Analysis: Manchester United

Manchester United initially set up in a 4-3-3, with Scott McTominay, Paul Pogba and Nemanja Matic as the midfield three, and Marcus Rashford and Anthony Martial supporting Romelu Lukaku in attack. Conceding two goals within the opening 10 minutes resulted in Jose Mourinho altering this structure at the 20-minute mark, with the introduction of Juan Mata for Eric Bailly. The team switched to a 4-2-3-1, as McTominay joined Chris Smalling at centre-back, Pogba and Matic sat as the two deep central midfielders, and Mata, Rashford and Martial played behind Lukaku.

United’s horizontal circulation of the ball and the organisation of their opponents’ block contributed to their early struggles in possession. The back four would regularly move the ball between them, but the full-backs were the only players who would be placed under noticeable pressure. Smalling and Bailly (later McTominay) might have found more joy in carrying the ball towards the Newcastle forwards, trying to entice them towards the ball, while Pogba or Matic could have created an angle just ahead to allow them to bypass the first line of the press. Instead, the ball would find its way to the full-backs, who would then look to clip it towards the forwards, where it was regularly intercepted.

United focused attacking down both wide areas, looking to push full-backs Ashley Young and Luke Shaw as high and wide as possible. Pogba and Matic would help with this in the first half, staying back with Smalling and McTominay to provide the necessary security for the full-backs to push on – but this changed in the second period, with the introduction of Marouane Fellaini as an additional attacking threat, after which only Matic, Pogba and Smalling would remain deep to marshal Newcastle’s front two. Their wide play became much more positive after the break, and they managed to deliver several dangerous crosses into the box to attack or from which to regain second balls – as seen for both the equaliser and the winning goal.

The hosts set up in an initial 4-1-4-1 structure out of possession. Rashford and Martial would track the visitors’ full-backs, which pulled the pair into the midfield line with Pogba and Matic. They then used a 4-4-1-1/4-4-2 when Bailly was replaced by Mata, who took on Rashford’s role out wide, as the latter moved into a central position alongside Lukaku.

But, with 69 per cent possession, United spent little time in an out-of-possession structure. The majority of their defending was in transition, where they tried to initiate a sharp counter-press that tended to lead to regaining possession or committing a foul. The counter-press was both erratic and poorly co-ordinated, but the high pressure was successful in forcing the Magpies into the errors that helped United gain control and complete what had earlier seemed an unlikely comeback.