United sum up Amorim's tenure in sorry microcosm

Manchester United’s league form this season has been so bad that their remaining domestic fixtures, with a sensational relegation avoided, pale in insignificance in comparison to their efforts on the continent.

- PETE HALL

That fact will not make events at St James’ Park yesterday any easier for Ruben Amorim to stomach after witnessing his entire tenure in England condensed into 90 miserable minutes in the northeast. It appears bursting the Newcastle positivity bubble is going to take some doing, with Harvey Barnes’ double inspiring the buoyant hosts, who celebrated tackles with a jubilant St James’s Park as if they were goals, to a fifth successive win in all competitions.

Amorim will be feeling less encouraged, however. At times, a much-changed United played some of their better football of the season. Their two biggest failings – not finishing off their promising moments and being easier to run through than wet tissue paper – nonetheless again proved their undoing.

Newcastle came into the contest looking to do the league double over yesterday’s opponents for the first time since 1930-31. That accomplishment is not the daunting task it used to be, however.