Manchester United loses 1-2 to Newcastle in their first defeat under manager Carrick

Manager Eddie Howe celebrated a great night for Newcastle on Wednesday as his 10-man squad ended Michael Carrick’s unbeaten run as interim Manchester United boss.

William Osula came off the bench to score a spectacular solo winner in the 90th minute as the hosts won the Premier League clash 2-1 at St James’ Park after being a man down for the entire second half.

“Probably the broadcast made it a very famous win for us,” said Howe, whose side needed a boost with the big games coming up, including Barcelona in the last 16 of the Champions League.

«Even if you have 10, you have to try to give the opposition a problem. I thought we did that.»

The defeat left Manchester United nine points behind second-placed Manchester City, who were held 2-2 at home by struggling Nottingham Forest, and are still level with Aston Villa on 51 points.

Newcastle are twelfth, now just one point behind fierce rival Sunderland.

HARD TO SAY WHICH TEAM HAD 10

In the second half it was sometimes difficult to tell which team had ten men.

The third-placed side, who arrived on Tyneside with the firepower – Bryan Mbeumo, Matheus Cunha and Benjamin Sesko – that Newcastle would have liked to sign last year, ultimately did not look scintillating.

Newcastle took the lead after three home games without a win due to setbacks.

“We’re not happy with the way we played the game tonight,” said Carrick, a boyhood Newcastle fan who had gone seven games unbeaten since taking over at Old Trafford but must now find new motivation.

«I don’t think it was the ten men’s fault. We just didn’t play well enough tonight. We can’t make any excuses for that.»

“They deserved to win tonight…tonight hurts because we don’t like losing games, but we’ll be better for the next one.”

The match revolved around Jacob Ramsey being sent off with the clock at 45+1′ after he was judged to have taken a dive and received a second yellow card.

Despite the setback, Anthony Gordon won a penalty five minutes later after a collision with United captain Bruno Fernandes to put Newcastle 1-0 ahead with his ninth successful penalty of nine this season.

The half-time whistle had yet to sound when Fernandes found Casemiro from a set piece who headed in the equalizer at 45+9′.

Newcastle had already started promisingly, with Kieran Trippier hitting the post in the third minute and the hosts had five good chances in the opening twenty minutes.

United had also come close, with Kobbie Mainoo having a shot on goal saved by Aaron Ramsdale before Mbeumo fired over the bar in the 44th.

Ramsdale, making his first league start of the year in goal with Nick Pope on the bench, played blindside with a string of world-class saves.

“With ten men it might as well have been thirteen men tonight,” he said. “It was an excellent match for us.”

Published on March 5, 2026