Substitute Edinson Cavani came off the bench to help Manchester United secure a draw away to struggling Newcastle in Monday’s Premier League fixture.
Cavani’s 71st-minute equaliser at St James’ Park salvaged a 1-1 draw after Allan Saint-Maximin’s early strike had threatened to hand Newcastle their second Premier League win of the season.
The draw means United, who are in seventh place on 28 points, are now seven points behind fourth-placed Arsenal.
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United were wasteful in possession for much of the game and shaky at the back to leave the Magpies, playing their fourth game in 16 days, in with a genuine chance of victory to the death.
Both sides were depleted by positive Covid-19 tests – Victor Lindelof was one of those to miss out as a result – and it was Eddie Howe’s men who made the brighter start.
They got their reward within seven minutes when Sean Longstaff robbed Varane and fed Saint-Maximin and he cut inside Diogo Dalot and Harry Maguire before guiding a right-foot shot past the helpless De Gea.
Ralf Rangnick sent on Jadon Sancho and Cavani for Fred and Greenwood as the second half got under way, but it took a superb reaction save by De Gea to keep out Saint-Maximin’s 47th-minute effort from point-blank range.
United dragged themselves back into it with 19 minutes remaining when Cavani’s initial shot from Dalot’s cross was blocked by Fabian Schar, but he managed to poke the rebound past Dubravka.
