Osula stunner wins it for Newcastle at the death against Manchester United
Newcastle United's William Osula (left) celebrates with Sean Neave after scoring the winner against Manchester United at St James Park. Pic: Owen Humphreys/PA
WILL Osula's stunning last-minute winner rewarded 10-man Newcastle for a stirring rearguard action as Manchester United paid for a lack of ambition at St James' Park.
Michael Carrick left his native North-East reflecting on what might have been after failing to force a victory. A point would have been disappointing enough, but with time running out, Osula came off the bench to take Kieran Trippier's pass, cut in from the right touchline and curl home a memorable winner to bring the house down at St James' Park.
Fine late Aaron Ramsdale saves from Leny Yoro and Joshua Zirkzee kept Newcastle in the game as they played for more than half the match at a numerical disadvantage. They have played 50 per more than the visitors' modest total of 31 games this season, so it probably wasn't the best timing to shoot themselves in the foot with Jacob Ramsey's needless sending off.
Casemiro cancelled out Anthony Gordon's opener after the Newcastle forward broke the deadlock with his 15th goal of the season and ninth consecutive successful penalty.
But the visitors were woefully short of a cutting edge against 10 men and could have few complaints as Newcastle stemmed a run of three consecutive home defeats in a dogged second-half display.
In a first-half where the fireworks all arrived in stoppage-time with both sides scoring after Ramsey's sending-off, Eddie Howe's side made a typically ferocious start and were on the front foot from the first whistle as they struck the frame of the visitors' goal inside the opening five minutes.
Trippier's looping cross from the right came back off Senne Lammens' far post with the Manchester United keeper struggling to cover as Yoro smuggled the ball to safety in an early escape for Carrick's side.
Anthony Elanga should have done better when failing to keep a volley on target from inside the area after the ball fell invitingly for the former Manchester United forward when a Sandro Tonali cross into the area was only partially cleared.
An off-balance Matheus Cunha fired over from 20 yards in a rare foray from the visitors in a generally quiet first-half for Ramsdale, who replaced Nick Pope as Newcastle's first-choice keeper paid the price for one mistake too many this season by losing his place.
The pattern of Newcastle dominance continued when Harvey Barnes curled an effort inches wide from 18 yards after a Joelinton-inspired move from halfway.
The powerful Brazilian was at the heart of most of the hosts' good work, and led a swift 60-yard counter-attack from the edge of the Newcastle area, only to undo his purposeful approach play by blazing a shot well over the bar when a simple pass into the box would have put an unmarked Gordon in on goal.
After earning a needless caution for pulling back Cunha near halfway, Joelinton was fortunate to stay on the pitch when sarcastically applauding the decision by referee Peter Bankes.
As half-time approached, Ramsdale was finally called into action, first diving full-stretch to his right to keep out a long-range Kobbie Mainoo effort which was destined for the top corner.
The Newcastle keeper then produced an unconvincing parry to keep out Cunha's angled drive. When the ball fell invitingly for Bryan Mbeumo, the Cameroon forward fired high into the Gallowgate End when he really ought to have scored.
Play immediately went up the other end as Newcastle's penalty appeals were ignored after Jacob Ramsey went to ground when trying to round Lammens. Worse still for the hosts, Bankes harshly brandished yellow for a dive to ensure the midfielder, who was already on a caution for a needless foul earlier in the half, had early use of the showers.
In a hectic end to the half, Gordon saw to it his side belatedly earned a penalty when he was tripped in the area by Bruno Fernandes. The England midfielder picked himself up to fire his spot-kick straight down the middle as Lammens dived out of the way United levelled in the ninth minute of first-half stoppage-time as Fernandes partially atoned when his in-swinging free-kick was met by Casemiro's glancing downward header at the near post to send the sides in all square.
To Newcastle's credit, it was difficult to discern which side had been reduced to 10 men for much of the second-half and Gordon should have restored the lead with 25 minutes left when he arrived unmarked at the far post to poke a shot wide from a well-worked Trippier corner routine.
The hosts inevitably tired as the contest wore on but were the beneficiaries of United's lack of ambition to go for the jugular which left them open to Osula's stunning sucker punch at the death.
Ramsdale 7; Trippier 7, Thiaw 6, Burn 8, Hall 7; Ramsey 3, Tonali 6, Joelinton 7; Elanga 4 (Murphy 85, 6), Gordon 7 (Osula 85, 8), Barnes 5 (Willock 46, 6).Â
Ramsey; Joelinton, Trippier.
Lammens 7; Mazraoui 6 (Malacia 85, 6), Yoro 7, Maguire 7, Shaw 7 (Ugarte 61, 6); Casemiro 7 (Dalot 61, 6), Mainoo 6 (Zikrzee 77, 6); Mbeumo 5 (Amad 76, 6), Fernandes 7, Cunha 6; Sesko 6.Â
Shaw, Mazraoui, Mbeumo.
Peter Bankes.
CONNECT WITH US TODAY
Be the first to know the latest news and updates
