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Cavani rescues point for Man United in 1-1 draw at Newcastle

Published:Tuesday | December 28, 2021 | 12:10 AM
Manchester United’s Edinson Cavani (centre) celebrates after scoring his side’s opening goal during the English Premier League match between Newcastle United and Manchester United at St James’ Park in Newcastle, England, yesterday. The game ended in
AP
Manchester United’s Edinson Cavani (centre) celebrates after scoring his side’s opening goal during the English Premier League match between Newcastle United and Manchester United at St James’ Park in Newcastle, England, yesterday. The game ended in a 1-1 draw.

NEWCASTLE, England (AP):

Edinson Cavani came off the bench to salvage a point for Manchester United from a sloppy display in a 1-1 draw at Newcastle in the Premier League yesterday.

Playing their first game in 16 days after coronavirus cases in the squad led to two games being postponed, United were outplayed in the first half, and Allan Saint-Maximin gave Newcastle the lead in the seventh minute following a swift break after Raphael Varane was dispossessed.

Cavani entered as a half-time substitute, injected some urgency and pressing into United’s attacking play, and scored an equaliser in the 71st minute by poking home a rebound after his initial shot was blocked.

Newcastle, who hit the post in the final minutes through substitute Dwight Gayle, was denied just a second win of the campaign and stayed in next-to-last place, while seventh-place United missed a chance to jump to fifth with a display that showed that the team still has plenty of work to do under recently hired coach Ralf Rangnick.

His team was so off the pace in the first half that Rangnick opted to make two substitutions at half-time, with Fred and Mason Greenwood coming off.

Any of the outfield players could easily have been replaced.

Bruno Fernandes was often seen waving his hands in the air, complaining to the referee and his teammates. Marcus Rashford looked lost out on the right wing. Varane and Harry Maguire were being hounded in possession at centre back.

United, back playing after having games against Brighton and Brentford called off, were lucky to go to the break only 1-0 down. Then the visitors saw Saint-Maximin squander a brilliant chance from close range in the 47th minute, mishitting a finish to allow David De Gea to claw away the ball when he should have been well beaten.

From then on, United had the better of the chances, with Cavani shooting wide with the goal at his mercy before eventually equalising at the second attempt after being picked out by Diogo Dalot’s cross.

Newcastle lost forwards Callum Wilson and Saint-Maximin to injuries, while Fernandes collected a fifth yellow card of the season and will miss United’s next game, against Burnley on Thursday.