It only takes one goal, though, to get three points, and after the week Newcastle has had—with still more than ten injuries—that will be more than enough for Eddie Howe.

But if any team looked out of sorts here, it was United in red, not Black and White, because the Toon tore at them from the start…and didn’t really slow down.

If they had been lucky, they would not have been seen during the break, but Erik ten Hag’s men managed to hold on.

Trippier’s free-kick was the closest of all. On a different day, it would have hit the bottom of the bar and gone in instead of going up and off target.

Newcastle should have been ahead at St. James’ Park after Anthony Gordon’s goal! tweet this picture (vPdY7xo5AJ)

— December 2, 2023: Football on TNT Sports (@footballontnt)

The shot from Alexander Isak, which didn’t go into the corner but instead hit Maguire’s heel and went inches wide, would have done the same.

Jamal Lascelles hit another great chance over the bar with a header, and Andre Onana saved a Joelinton sidefooter with great skill.

There were calls for Ten Hag to fire his disaster Cameroonian after his latest mistakes in Istanbul this week, but he stuck to his word.

Some would say that the African goalkeeper made mistakes that led to two of Galatasaray’s goals, or even all three. They will, unless something miraculous happens, mean that United will be out of the tournament after the group stage.

It looks like Manager Ten Hag is the only one who still believes in Onana. And he is adamant that Opta data shows that his goalkeeper is the second-best in the Premier League.

If Ten Hag thinks that about his master, it would be interesting to know what he thinks about the shooting of JFK and the landings on the moon. But let’s get back to more important things.

This meant that United had to fight hard from the start to keep the Toon out…and take chances more than once to do it.

There is never a boring moment in the United defense, which feels more like a stand-up comedy show than an action movie. Maguire away at least.

The Reds were holding on for a long time. Slowed things down as much as possible to take the edge off of it.

Additionally, it was quite hilarious given the fuss Ten Hag made when he said the Toon were doing the exact same thing before last year’s Carabao Cup final.

In fact, United was slow in a lot of ways. Definitely not as good as the Toon, who are trying to beat them for the third time in a row for the first time since 1922.

If it weren’t for Maguire, they probably would have won easily too.

Most of the game, the Reds were weak in the legs and head, but their center back is riding the wave right now. He may have been in his best shape in four years at the club.

There was a block here, a huge header there, and a tackle or interference right on time almost everywhere else.

Even though Antony’s volley hit him in the stomach, he was definitely a yard offside, and he came very close to scoring a late, albeit unfair, equalizer.

Martin Dubravka was already in goal for the Toon after Pope hit his shoulder while sliding to stop a Sergio Reguilon shot…Fabian Schar did it for him anyway.

No bar Shaw almost had the same “hold your head up” show as Maguire. Rashford and Antony Martial didn’t do that at all.

In fact, the only passionate thing we saw from Martial all night was his angry, arm-in-the-air response to his boss after being yelled at.

Anthony Gordon will never be more on time in his whole life… twice in the same game.

First, with his quick arrival at the far post to score the goal that gave Newcastle the win they deserved after dominating the game last night.

But on the day England found out who they will play in the Euros, there was a fitting reminder to Gareth Southgate of why he needs to be there.

Marcus Rashford, who was in England’s last team instead of the Newcastle star, sulked and stumbled through another terrible game at St. James’ Park, but Gordon made the difference.

He really shouldn’t have been, to be fair. Gordon’s goal in the 55th minute, which came from a laser-like cross from Kieran Trippier, should have opened up a lot more space.

There would have been as well if Harry Maguire and, to a lesser extent, Luke Shaw hadn’t given such a great performance at center back.