Uninspiring Red Devils held in dent to top-four hopes

Manchester United’s top-four hopes suffered another setback as they were held to a 0-0 draw by Newcastle United at Old Trafford.

United are now three points adrift of fourth-placed Chelsea after an uninspiring performance in which they rarely looked like breaking Newcastle down prior to a flurry in the closing minutes.

Eddie Howe’s visitors earlier had the better chances, with Joelinton twice frustrated by the frame of the goal, and have still only suffered one defeat this season after surviving a late scare.

Newcastle remain a point behind the Red Devils in sixth, with Sunday’s showing the latest sign they will be persistent challengers to the ‘big six’ in the years to come.

The Magpies were in the ascendancy from the early stages, with the best United could muster in the opening exchanges a speculative effort from Jadon Sancho that sailed over the crossbar.

Newcastle would have taken the lead in the 24th minute if not for the woodwork, which denied Joelinton twice in quick succession after Kieran Tripper’s blocked free-kick broke to him in the box. His first header was repelled by the bar and his second the post.

United did create a clear-cut opening seven minutes before half-time, but Antony’s near-post effort was easily kept out by Nick Pope.

Erik ten Hag’s team were more dangerous after the break. Cristiano Ronaldo had the ball in the net but was correctly flagged for offside, and he and Sancho had penalty appeals waved away.

There were few moments of concern for Newcastle thereafter until Marcus Rashford sprung the offside trap, rounded an advancing Pope and squared only for Fred to incredibly skew wide of an open goal.

Rashford could have settled it himself in the final minute of injury time but sent his close-range header the wrong side of Pope’s right-hand post.