Interesting to read through these BBC Sport comments, following on from Newcastle United losing 1-0 against Manchester United in the Premier League.
The comments from neutrals especially telling…
A lot of it different to what Newcastle United fans had come to expect from the BBC Sport ‘neutrals’.
The BBC Sport comments from neutrals in the past had been overwhelmingly a catalogue of abuse aimed at NUFC supporters.
Particularly stuff about the Newcastle United owners and the media-inspired pile-ons that NUFC fans have become used to, when blamed for who now owns their club.
On this occasion the politics entirely absent, concentrating instead on matters on the pitch and wondering how Newcastle United failed to score.
The BBC Sport readers comments from neutrals, some Man U fans, plus the odd Newcastle supporter also contributing:
‘Newcastle could have played until Christmas and not scored.’
‘Tonali has not been very good for a month his passing has been awful.’
‘Because he’s being instructed to play the ball into the channels, or hit and hope to Woltemade. He’s too good a footballer to be wasted in that manner.’
‘Newcastle look so toothless. I’m not sure why they took Woltemade off as he does at least give them a hope of getting on the end of the stream of seemingly mindless crosses.’
‘Should never have taken Casemiro off. But I guess Amorim can argue the result went his way.’
‘Newcastle toothless. Man U were brilliant first half. Can’t explain the second half.’
‘Great tactics from Ruben to go with 8 defenders and shut up shop.’
‘Newcastle should really have got something from the game. To get nothing from it especially with the dominance in the 2nd half especially is bad.’
‘Newcastle hopeless, Howe clueless.’
‘UCL twice, Wembley twice, League Cup win beating Pool, Arsenal (Twice!), Chelsea, City.
Semis of the League Cup this season and great chance of auto qualification for the knockout stages of the UCL this year.
One game away, losing 1 goal to a supposed big club.
Clueless?? Ha ha ha ha ha ha
Only one person that is hopeless and clueless.’
‘Break out performance from Dorgu. In that first half, he was fantastic. Clearly delighted with his wonderful strike for the winning goal and his confidence just grew. Tired towards the end especially but he deserves the plaudits for this performance. Cunha always a threat and Heaven was superb at the back alongside Martinez, the stand in skipper.’
‘Dorgu with a great goal, then Man U parked the bus. Well? It clearly worked, and Man U might have a shot a CL football at this rate. Well played and well done on a clean sheet.’
‘Most pathetic image all night. Man utd “fans” giving the Newcastle players abuse and v signs everytime they have a corner/throw in whilst wearing half and half scarves with Newcastle colours on them…your truly pathetic.’
‘Man Utd have tourists mostly, not fans.’
‘I agree, and I’m a Man United fan. Proper fans being forced out for fanboy tourists.’
‘Most pathetic Man utd fans singing anti Shearer songs, he retired almost 20 years ago !’
‘Newcastle will probably be feeling very embarrassed to have lost to Man U.’
‘I know Gordon, Murphy, Tonali, Bruno, Woltemade, Wissa and Barnes can all play better than that.
So much opportunity to cross and so little actual crossing!’
‘Not sure if Newcastle would have scored had they played until New Years Eve. Isak hasn’t played well for Liverpool yet, but Newcastle miss him I think as he was perfect for their system.’
‘First half we held our own with the tactics we’ve all wanted. Second have reverted back to his system and Newcastle were all over us. We were just lucky they are as bad as us up front.’
‘Man U only won because of the clear penalty turned down against them from VAR and the ref from Manchester.’
‘Agreed – can’t see how that wasn’t given seeing it hit his arm, then his hand and then he kicked it away – no way that would’ve been cleared without the hand – he was even chuckling to his team mates about it afterwards.’
‘Newcastle have to be the second worst team in the Premier League.’
‘Am I the only one out there that thinks Murphy is absolutely terrible, bottles every 50:50, has one decent cross out of 10, ball watches all the time, messes up time after time.
I cringe when I see him starting.’
‘Is that a new rule that you can handball it if the reason you’ve done it is because you pushed someone else?’
‘All Man U fans can gloat tonight but lets be honest they’re absolutely miles behind a top team. 1-0 up and then play a back 10, AT HOME. Newcastle are Struggling to score at the moment but it will come.’
‘Ramsdale is yet to make a really good save. We’ve conceded so many goals since he came in for Pope which a top keeper would have saved. So average. Mind you, great save by Martinez. And he nearly caught it!’
‘Man U were like a non league team in the 2nd half, just hanging on for dear life. Newcastle were the much better side, but lack a Morgan Rogers type of player to make the difference. Shocking to see Newcastle in bottom half of the table and Man U in 5th?’
Manchester United 1 Newcastle United 0 – 26 December 2025 8pm
Match Stats
Goals:
Newcastle United:
Man U:
Dorgu 24
Possession was Newcastle 67% Man U 33%
Total shots were Newcastle 16 Man U 9
Shots on target were Newcastle 3 Man U 3
Corners were Newcastle 11 Man U 2
Touches in the opposition box Newcastle 43 Man U 15
Newcastle team v Man U:
Ramsdale, Miley, Thiaw, Schar, Hall, Ramsey (Joelinton 68), Tonali (Willock 77), Bruno, Jacob Murphy (Barnes 68), Gordon, Woltemade (Wissa 68)
Substitutes:
Pope, Alex Murphy, Alabi, Shahar, Neave