Rasmus Hojlund, a striker for Manchester United, celebrates scoring his goal during the 3-2 victory over Newcastle at Old Trafford

In a dramatic clash between Manchester United and Newcastle at Old Trafford, Rasmus Hojlund ended his 10-game scoring drought to secure the win for his team.

Erik ten Hag’s team would have been doomed to their lowest league finish in thirty-four years had they lost.

Rather, they must outperform Newcastle on the last day to secure a spot in the Uefa Conference League for the next season. If they defeat Manchester City in the FA Cup final at Wembley on May 25, they will automatically qualify for the Europa League.

After Kieran Trippier placed him onside, Kobbie Mainoo scored a nice finish from ten yards out to put the home team ahead after thirty-one minutes.

Four minutes after the restart, Anthony Gordon tied the score, and Sofyan Amrabat’s outstanding block prevented Manchester United from falling behind when Alexander Isak was unable to complete a three-on-one counterattack.

Just before the hour mark, Amad Diallo scored his first Premier League goal to give Manchester United the lead again after Newcastle was unable to clear a corner. However, Eddie Howe’s team was just inches away from an equaliser when Miguel Almiron missed a low cross from the outstanding Gordon at the far post.

Hojlund was left to calm down the home crowd by moving to his right and scoring his 15th goal of the year with a low finish into the bottom corner.

Lewis Hall, a left defender for Newcastle, scored from the edge of the box in the second minute of stoppage time, but the home team hung on, so those nerves were still jangling a little.

To be guaranteed a top-seven finish, Newcastle must defeat Brentford on the last day of play.

Newcastle continues to suffer at Old Trafford.
Newcastle will be thinking back on a chance lost to get the draw they so desperately wanted as their terrible record at Old Trafford continues to worsen as they make their way back to the North East.

Despite Hall’s outstanding performance during injury time, even Manchester United, a team that has made an art out of throwing away winning situations late in games, could not be defeated.

The majority of the harm was self-inflicted. For a player of Trippier’s level of expertise, there was just no way he could have been so far back and allowed Mainoo to score.

After Newcastle equalised, they forced Aaron Wan-Bissaka into a mistake, leaving them with three men against a frantic Amrabat who was by himself attempting to come back, and they were unable to take the lead after Isak’s shot was blocked.

Gordon’s inventiveness and straight running must have delighted England coach Steve Holland, since he most definitely did not deserve to be on the losing side.

The Paraguayan’s low cross for Almiron should have given Newcastle the lead, but he was unable to put the finishing touch at the far post.

Both he and Dan Burn’s first-half header, which Casemiro just barely managed to tip off the goal line, were inches from the goal.

Now that Newcastle has only triumphed once in 29 trips to this venue, its chances of qualifying for Europe now rest on the mistakes of others.

Casemiro recovers
Lisandro Martinez was available and had insisted on playing against the Gunners, thus Casemiro, who had been subjected to a lot of criticism for his placement against Arsenal on Sunday, was an unexpected starting in central defence.

It was impossible to know what Martinez had discussed with Ten Hag prior to this match, and the pick came under even more criticism when the Brazilian drifted into midfield in the first few minutes and then threw the ball away to set up a potentially disastrous Newcastle counterattack.

But instead of fading into the background, Casemiro used his wealth of experience to take centre stage for the rest of the first half.

Casemiro was in the ideal place to stop Dan Burn’s header from crossing the line just inches from scoring, and he then made an incredible block on Anthony Gordon to deny Newcastle a chance to shoot with only Andre Onana to beat.

Howe was certain that his team ought to have received a penalty for that play, and it’s likely that he felt the same way as Wolves did about the legitimacy of VAR when Jarred Gillett decided not to overturn Rob Jones’ on-field determination that Sofyan Amrabat had not unlawfully obstructed Gordon.

Casemiro nearly scored with an overhead kick as well, and after watching the replays, he might question whether Trippier will face the same demonization as he has endured over the last three days.

It did not always appear like Manchester United would have anything to play for on the last day, but the overall result indicates that they do.

Ten Hag also mentioned that his team’s season ends at Wembley in the FA Cup final against Manchester City, where he said his team “would give all,” at the beginning of his team’s lap of thanks.

---