Match ends, Manchester United 4, Newcastle United 1.
Cristiano Ronaldo scored twice on his return to Manchester United as the hosts eventually cruised to victory against Newcastle United and delighted a packed Old Trafford.
Cheered from the moment he left the team coach on its arrival at the ground, throughout the warm-up and then once the game had started, Ronaldo repaid the backing in the best possible manner.
Twelve years after he last scored for Manchester United in this stadium, Ronaldo broke the deadlock in first-half added time when he tapped in after visiting keeper Freddie Woodman spilled Mason Greenwood's shot.
Then, after Javier Manquillo had levelled with his first Newcastle goal, Ronaldo finished off a flowing move by racing on to Luke Shaw's through ball and drilling a low shot through Woodman's legs.
His international team-mate Bruno Fernandes rifled in the goal of the game as he collected Paul Pogba's square pass and curled a shot into the top corner from the edge of the area before substitute Jesse Lingard added a fourth in added time.
The margin of victory was harsh on Steve Bruce's men, who played well for long periods. But Newcastle's efforts were irrelevant to the ecstatic home fans, who had the added bonus of their side returning to the top of the Premier League.
- Recap Manchester United v Newcastle, plus the rest of Saturday's Premier League action
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- Everything you need to know about the Magpies, all in one place
Significant day at Old Trafford
You only had to look in the directors' box to understand this was a special day for the hosts.
Executive vice-chairman Ed Woodward, who has not been seen since the Super League debacle, and co-chairman Avram Glazer, who was making his first Old Trafford visit in two years, were both present.
Glazer and Woodward both played central roles in Ronaldo's return to the club from Juventus.
However, Sir Alex Ferguson was arguably even more significant in the move, ringing the Portuguese to implore him to return to the club where he is still feted as a hero, rather than accept an offer from Manchester City.
Ronaldo proved he still has much to offer at the age of 36, and that the efforts to entice him back to the club were worthwhile.
His opener showed the value of anticipation, as he followed Greenwood's shot in when the Newcastle defenders hesitated.
The second emphasised that Ronaldo retains enough speed to cause problems for defences as he charged clear to take his overall Manchester United tally to 120.
Although he has never previously operated as a striker in the conventional sense, that is where he started - and largely he stayed there. He did drop deeper at times, but generally was the most advanced Manchester United player.
At times, that did mean the hosts searched for wider crossing positions more often than a team with such gifted technical players would prefer. But the ends justified the means on this occasion.
There was, however, to be no repeat of the hat-trick he scored on his last appearance against Newcastle at Old Trafford in January 2008.
Nevertheless, with Fernandes delivering the kind of goal that has earned him hero status at the club and Lingard giving a reminder of the ability he showed on loan at West Ham, it was a victory that went beyond the contribution of a single individual - even if Ronaldo's name will dominate the aftermath.
Newcastle hope extinguished
Ronaldo's momentous goal must have felt like a kick in the guts for former Old Trafford captain Bruce.
Newcastle's record at the ground is terrible and the build-up to this game pitched them in the role of spoilsports, trying to wreck a party that had been building up all week.
Through a combination of disciplined defending, what could be kindly described as 'time management' - which irritated the home fans immensely - and incisive counter-attacks, Newcastle were excellent.
Allan Saint-Maximin, Sean Longstaff and Joe Willock all got themselves in a position to threaten David de Gea's goal without managing to beat the home keeper.
Ronaldo's goal with the half time break beckoning ruined all that good work, and it was so preventable too.
Isaac Hayden was standing next to the Portuguese when Greenwood took aim but, unlike Ronaldo, he didn't gamble on the outcome and was not in position to challenge when Woodman made his mistake.
To their credit, Newcastle renewed their efforts after half-time and for a brief time after they had capitalised on a Harry Maguire error to convert a superb counter-attack - which ended with Saint-Maximin prodding a ball through for Manquillo's second goal in English football - a second Old Trafford win since 1972 seemed possible.
That hope evaporated as Ronaldo returned to centre stage, leaving the visiting fans to renew their chants demanding change at the top of their club.
Player of the match
Cristiano RonaldoCristiano Ronaldo
Manchester United
Avg
- Squad number7Player nameCristiano RonaldoAverage rating
7.57
- Squad number14Player nameLingardAverage rating
7.26
- Squad number18Player nameBruno FernandesAverage rating
7.01
- Squad number23Player nameShawAverage rating
6.75
- Squad number34Player namevan de BeekAverage rating
6.67
- Squad number11Player nameGreenwoodAverage rating
6.59
- Squad number19Player nameVaraneAverage rating
6.49
- Squad number6Player namePogbaAverage rating
6.48
- Squad number25Player nameSanchoAverage rating
6.36
- Squad number5Player nameMaguireAverage rating
6.17
- Squad number29Player nameWan-BissakaAverage rating
6.08
- Squad number1Player namede GeaAverage rating
6.07
- Squad number31Player nameMaticAverage rating
5.90
- Squad number9Player nameMartialAverage rating
5.84
Newcastle United
Avg
- Squad number10Player nameSaint-MaximinAverage rating
6.61
- Squad number24Player nameAlmirónAverage rating
6.08
- Squad number28Player nameWillockAverage rating
6.05
- Squad number19Player nameManquilloAverage rating
6.01
- Squad number36Player nameS LongstaffAverage rating
5.82
- Squad number11Player nameRitchieAverage rating
5.77
- Squad number2Player nameClarkAverage rating
5.74
- Squad number6Player nameLascellesAverage rating
5.72
- Squad number7Player nameJoelintonAverage rating
5.72
- Squad number14Player nameHaydenAverage rating
5.69
- Squad number27Player nameWoodmanAverage rating
5.42
- Squad number23Player nameMurphyAverage rating
5.14
- Squad number12Player nameLewisAverage rating
4.98
- Squad number16Player nameHendrickAverage rating
4.71
Line-ups
Man Utd
Formation 4-2-3-1
- 1de Gea
- 29Wan-Bissaka
- 19Varane
- 5Maguire
- 23Shaw
- 6PogbaBooked at 60mins
- 31Matic
- 11GreenwoodSubstituted forvan de Beekat 85'minutes
- 18Bruno FernandesSubstituted forMartialat 85'minutes
- 25SanchoSubstituted forLingardat 66'minutes
- 7Cristiano Ronaldo
Substitutes
- 2Lindelöf
- 3Bailly
- 8Mata
- 9Martial
- 14Lingard
- 17Fred
- 20Dalot
- 22Heaton
- 34van de Beek
Newcastle
Formation 5-4-1
- 27Woodman
- 19ManquilloSubstituted forMurphyat 77'minutes
- 14Hayden
- 6Lascelles
- 2ClarkSubstituted forLewisat 84'minutes
- 11Ritchie
- 24Almirón
- 28WillockSubstituted forHendrickat 85'minutes
- 36S Longstaff
- 7Joelinton
- 10Saint-Maximin
Substitutes
- 5Schär
- 12Lewis
- 16Hendrick
- 17Krafth
- 18Fernández
- 23Murphy
- 26Darlow
- 34Gayle
- 56White
- Referee:
- Anthony Taylor
- Attendance:
- 72,732
Match Stats
- Possession
- Home64%
- Away36%
- Shots
- Home21
- Away12
- Shots on Target
- Home7
- Away3
- Corners
- Home7
- Away3
- Fouls
- Home9
- Away2
Live Text
Post update
Full Time
Second Half ends, Manchester United 4, Newcastle United 1.
Goal!
Goal! Manchester United 4, Newcastle United 1. Jesse Lingard (Manchester United) right footed shot from the centre of the box to the top right corner. Assisted by Paul Pogba.
Post update
Attempt missed. Joelinton (Newcastle United) header from the centre of the box misses to the left. Assisted by Allan Saint-Maximin with a cross.
Post update
Foul by Aaron Wan-Bissaka (Manchester United).
Post update
Joelinton (Newcastle United) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Substitution
Substitution, Newcastle United. Jeff Hendrick replaces Joseph Willock.
Substitution
Substitution, Manchester United. Donny van de Beek replaces Mason Greenwood.
Substitution
Substitution, Manchester United. Anthony Martial replaces Bruno Fernandes.
Substitution
Substitution, Newcastle United. Jamal Lewis replaces Ciaran Clark.
Post update
Foul by Nemanja Matic (Manchester United).
Post update
Allan Saint-Maximin (Newcastle United) wins a free kick on the right wing.
Post update
Offside, Newcastle United. Matt Ritchie tries a through ball, but Allan Saint-Maximin is caught offside.
Goal!
Goal! Manchester United 3, Newcastle United 1. Bruno Fernandes (Manchester United) right footed shot from outside the box to the top left corner. Assisted by Paul Pogba.
Post update
Attempt saved. Joseph Willock (Newcastle United) left footed shot from outside the box is saved in the centre of the goal.
Post update
Corner, Newcastle United. Conceded by Harry Maguire.
Post update
Attempt blocked. Allan Saint-Maximin (Newcastle United) right footed shot from outside the box is blocked. Assisted by Matt Ritchie.
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Offside, Manchester United. Luke Shaw tries a through ball, but Jesse Lingard is caught offside.
Substitution
Substitution, Newcastle United. Jacob Murphy replaces Javier Manquillo.
Post update
Foul by Paul Pogba (Manchester United).
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Comments
Join the conversation
At 36 he still transforms a club as big as Man Utd from a team that would not win the league to a team that might.
Great effort all around. Newcastle didn't really play badly either.
CR didn't get a hat trick
We kept them to only 4
We scored
I met my old mates
I was able to watch the team I support for free
The pasties and pies were good
OK I made the last one up
However, still only 4 games in, and MUFC are yet to be tested by title rivals. Good win today, but let's not get carried away.
Great to see him back!
Give Jesse his place in the starting lineup and make Sancho prove he's worthy of taking the place from him.
Viva Lingardo
Past it?
Yeah right.