Manchester United lose again as Newcastle's Yohan Cabaye stings Moyes

Yohan Cabaye scored Newcastle United opening goal against Manchester United in the Premier League at Old Trafford. Photograph: Andrew Yates/AFP/Getty Images

Manchester United are going from bad to worse. After the first home defeat by Everton for 21 years came the first capitulation to Newcastle United in 41. Frank O'Farrell was in charge here the last time the Magpies enjoyed success at Old Trafford in the league and the home side's performance was about as undistinguished as some of the ones posted on this ground in those troubled seasons pre-relegation.

A combination of the midweek defeat and the absence of the suspended Wayne Rooney produced a flat Manchester United performance and an atmosphere that was even more leaden. Tumbleweed would not have come as a complete surprise in a first 40 minutes during which the only noise from the crowd was courtesy of Newcastle fans commenting drily on the lack of volume being generated by the home support. Even with Robin van Persie back from injury there was little happening on the pitch to get excited about. Adnan Januzaj produced some elegant touches going forward but the home side's attacks were disjointed and sporadic, a midfield pairing of Phil Jones and Tom Cleverly not really providing the drive Old Trafford has come to expect.

Newcastle were arguably the better team in the first half, playing within themselves but with a neatness and precision their opponents often lacked. The visitors could have turned round in front but for a smart save from David de Gea to deny Mathieu Debuchy in added time, after Loïc Rémy had caught Patrice Evra napping with a peach of a pass behind the right-back. That was just about the first time either goalkeeper had been seriously called into action, though Javier Hernández might have had a penalty a couple of minutes earlier when Fabricio Coloccini appeared to catch his leg.

That was about if for first half action, though thankfully the tempo and the temperature both began to rise after the interval. Tim Krul was immediately required to make a save from Hernández from Van Persie's searching diagonal ball, then Evra's header at a set piece was kept out by Vurnon Anita at the far post, possibly with the surreptitious use of an arm. If Manchester United were upset about that they were given more to worry about after an hour when Newcastle took the lead. There was nothing streaky or fortuitous about Yohan Cabaye's goal, in fact some of the home crowd might have seen it coming. Not for the first time the excellent Moussa Sissoko escaped from Evra down the right, running into space then looking up to cut back for Cabaye, whose shot from near the penalty spot beat Nemanja Vidic and De Gea's combined attempts to block it.

David Moyes' response was to replace Cleverley and Nani with Anderson and Wilfried Zaha, quite properly identifying midfield as a problem though showing more faith than many present in the substitutes he hoped would fix it. For good measure he sent on Antonio Valencia as well, replacing Rafael da Silva with one of his selection of wingers on the bench, though with Hatem ben Arfa also introduced in the second half Newcastle continued to pass the ball around confidently, with Cheik Tioté more tenacious than any of the home players in winning it back when lost. Newcastle were worth their win in other words.

Moyes's frustration surfaced just before the final whistle when he tangled with Newcastle players in an attempt to get a throw taken quickly, and the reason he was so annoyed was graphically demonstrated in stoppage time, when Anderson won the ball in his own half from a Ben Arfa anxious to keep hold of it and waste time, then promptly gave it away again.

United cannot win the title from here. There appears to be work to be done just to stay in the top half of the table.

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