Late Dummett strike holds Man Utd to thrilling Toon stalemate

Newcastle United 3-3 Manchester United

• Wayne Rooney scores penalty after Chancel Mbemba handball
• Jesse Lingard adds another from great move
• Georginio Wijnaldum pulls one back before half-time
• Aleksandar Mitrovic levels from the spot
• Rooney fires in screamer in final 15 minutes
• Paul Dummett nets deflected equaliser late on

Dummett strike secures Toon stalemate

Manchester United were held to a 3-3 draw by Newcastle United in a truly thrilling Premier League encounter at St James’ Park, with Paul Dummett’s late deflected strike securing Steve McClaren’s Magpies a crucial point.

Wayne Rooney looked to have given Louis van Gaal’s Red Devils an away win with his spectacular second-half goal, but unlikely source Dummett made sure there was a share of the spoils after his effort wickedly bounced off Chris Smalling.

Rooney opened the scoring from a penalty in the first-half before Jesse Lingard added a second and Georginio Wijnaldum pulled one back before the break. The second period then brought plenty more excitement as Aleksandar Mitrovic netted his own spot-kick, with Rooney and Dummett then capping off one of the games of the season so far.

Rooney sound from the spot again

After an unconvincing FA Cup triumph over Sheffield United, the Red Devils were looking to put on a better performance for their travelling support on Tyneside, but proceedings again started slowly. Though an early cross from Ashley Young on the right flank showed promise, despite Rooney being unable to connect.

However, the Man Utd skipper was gifted with a better chance from the penalty spot after just eight minutes following a contentiously awarded hand ball decision from Chancel Mbemba. The defender’s arm connected with the ball from a Marouane Fellaini knock-down, but it was seemingly beyond his control, with Rooney obliging to convert a second spot-kick in successive outings.

Anthony Martial continued to look like a threat in an unfavored, yet embraced, wide right position, with the world’s most expensive teenager and his wing partner Young causing Dummett plenty of problems.

Jonjo Shelvey was unveiled to to the St James’ crowd before kick-off after his move from Swansea City and the hosts could have used his midfield abilities in this clash, as Jack Colback and Cheick Tiote began sloppily in the central areas.

Toon penalty appeal rejected

Belgian bruiser Fellaini had already come to the attention of referee Mike Dean for hefty challenges in his defensive midfield role, and he was soon made to pay the price for constant offences after 23 minutes with a cautioning.

Despite a slow start to the game from the visitors, Van Gaal’s men were beginning to showcase a more enterprising attacking display, with Spaniard Ander Herrera featuring heavily in the number 10 role.

In a rapid switch of attacking prowess, Rooney sent a great chance narrowly wide with almost half an hour of action gone, with Dutchman Wijnaldum then spurning an equally promising opportunity at the other end, as David de Gea got his body behind the low driven effort after a lovely link-up with Mitrovic.

Having awarded the travelling side a penalty previously, the referee angered the Toon faithful by waving away home claims for their own spot-kick, with Lingard clumsily taking down a surging Daryl Janmaat in the area.

Lingard and Wijnaldum strike before break

African enforcer Tiote soon picked up incredibly his 51st club yellow card after a reckless challenge on Red Devils livewire Herrera, who was looking increasingly likely of creating another opening in this more encouraging all-round Man Utd performance.

The crafty playamker did exactly that before half-time as he accurately played in his captain Rooney, with the all-time England marksman then perfectly teeing up Lingard, who clinically rounded off a well-worked move.

Moments before the break, the Toon immediately struck back with a free-flowing move of their own, as Wijnaldum burst into the Man Utd box and volleyed home from an unintended Fellaini knockdown, after a lofted pass from Fabricio Coloccini.

Van Gaal had utilised the Newcastle goal scorer in every one of his 2014 World Cup games during his time in charge of the Netherlands, but his former reliant midfielder gave him a lot more to think about during the break.

Mitrovic bags Magpies penalty

Newcastle came sprinting out of the blocks for the second period in what was a so far enthralling encounter, with France international midfield maestro Moussa Sissoko completely leaving Smalling and Young for dead before having his one-on-one shot denied brilliantly by De Gea.

Close to the hour mark, Lingard made a mess of his gloriously crafted chance from close-range, sending a shot high and wide after an instinctive backheel from the influential Herrera, who was providing all sorts of trouble for the Toon rear guard.

The pulsating action was maintained from both sides and, after having seen several penalty claims turned down, St James’ Park erupted when referee Dean finally awarded one when Smalling wrestled Mitrovic to the ground. Picking himself up off the ground, the Toon forward then tucked away the subsequent spot-kick to bring proceedings level.

Rooney fires in spectacular strike

Wijnaldum looked to have sent the home crowd into hysterics when he thumped past De Gea but the Dutchman was ruled out for offside, giving a pegged-back Man Utd a truly welcomed reprieve.

Van Gaal thrust Juan Mata and Memphis Depay into the fray in the final 15 minutes on Tyneside, with Martial taking up the leading role and Rooney dropping deeper. Such a tactical switch worked wonders for the Dutch coach as Rooney soon blasted in an incredible goal to give his side the lead once again.

Although, in what was one of the best games of the season, Newcastle defender Dummett’s deflected strike in the dying minutes earned a vital point in his side’s battle against relegation, as Man Utd were agonisingly held in a six-goal thriller.