
Premier League - Disaster for Moyes as struggling United lose again Manchester United were condemned to back-to-back home Premier League defeats for the first time in 11 years as Newcastle won 1-0. Bookies slashed odds on David Moyes getting fired as Manchester United were condemned to back-to-back home Premier League defeats for the first time in 11 years, with Yohan Cabaye's goal giving Newcastle a 1-0 win at Old Trafford. Having lost to Everton at home for the first time since 1992 in midweek, it was the turn of Newcastle to snap a long winless streak as they took three points from United at Old Trafford for the first time since 1972. That second appalling result in the space of a few days prompted bookmakers to cut Moyes's odds on being manager on January 1st to just 4-1, with legendary retired manager Alex Ferguson quoted at just 11-2 to fill in as manager at some point this season. Moyes is also listed at just 5-2 to be sacked before the end of the season. Moyes had hoped for a response after a defeat to his former employers but United, bar the bright Adnan Januzaj, were disjoined in attack and limited to half chances from Tom Cleverley and a cynical piece of simulation from Javier Hernandez in the first half. Newcastle, reinforced with a three-man midfield, were disciplined and restrained but Mathieu Debuchy twice got the best of international team-mate Patrice Evra in first-half injury time to test David De Gea with a firm drive and a header. Evra hit the post with a header on 54 minutes as United began to take charge of the contest but then, on 61 minutes, Newcastle took a surprise lead when Moussa Sissoko squared for Cabaye and the midfielder’s shot took a deflection off Nemanja Vidic to nestle in the corner. Another damaging defeat leaves United struggling badly in ninth place, and Arsenal’s 12-point advantage could become 15 by the end of the weekend. KEY MOMENTS PRE-MATCH: Wayne Rooney was absent for Manchester United as he was suspended but the in-form Phil Jones returned to the midfield alongside the rather less in-form Tom Cleverley. Robin van Persie was also in the starting XI, despite fears over his fitness and rumours, from Mark Lawrenson of all people, that he handed in a transfer request on Tuesday. 42’ – PENALTY? A moment of semi-controversy as Hernandez appears to go down after Coloccini throws out a wafty leg in the box. The ref remains unmoved and replays show Coloccini moved his leg away. It was a very cynical dive. How was Hernandez not booked? 45+1’ - CHANCE FOR NEWCASTLE: Debuchy nips in behind Evra to collect a diagonal ball and smashes the ball at De Gea from a tight angle as the keeper bats it away. 45+2’ – DEBUCHY THREATENS AGAIN: Now the right-back gets to a cross ahead of Evra, again, and forces De Gea into a save with a decent header. 51’ – HERNANDEZ GOES CLOSE! Van Persie picks out Hernandez with an absolutely stunning diagonal ball. The Mexican pulls it down, takes a touch and sees his drilled effort saved by Krul. 54’ - EVRA HITS THE POST: The left-back gets his head to a cross and his angled effort comes off the woodwork before apparently striking the arm of Anita, who was guarding the post! No penalty and the home players aren’t happy. 61’ - GOAL! Man Utd 0-1 Newcastle: Oh dearie me, just when they looked to be dominating… It’s Cabaye who slots home with the help of a deflected. Sissoko beat Evra to the ball on the left before squaring for his team-mate. 72’ - GOAL DISALLOWED: Van Persie has the ball in the back of the net with a header but he is rightly ruled offside when collecting a flick-on from Jonny Evans from a free-kick.