UNITED 4 NEWCASTLE 1 FULLPOGBACK! TIME

18 Nov, 2017

We will have reaction to come, so stay tuned to hear from players and Reds boss Jose Mourinho right here and on ManUtd.com very soon.

The Reds keep up the pressure on leaders Manchester City, who won earlier, so the gap remains at eight points but there is plenty of football still to be played. Incidentally, that's the seventh time we have scored four in a game already this season in all competitions.

Possession: United 65% Newcastle 35%
Shots: United 16 Newcastle 11
Shots on target: United 7 Newcastle 5
Corners: United 11 Newcastle 4

FT: UNITED 4 NEWCASTLE 1

And there goes the full-time whistle! The Reds come from behind to return to winning ways in the Premier League in convincing fashion, thanks to goals from Martial, Smalling, the returning Pogba and top scorer Lukaku. Job done for Mourinho's men!

90 - There will be three minutes of added time, as signalled by fourth official Paul Tierney. After a sticky start, United have long since had this one wrapped up.

89 - Close! Zlatan is denied a goal on his return as his acrobatic attempt from Matic's forward pass is clawed away by Elliot for a corner. From the resulting delivery, Newcastle survive as Clark makes a vital intervention to clear Rashford's cross.

IBRA PREPARES TO MAKE HIS ENTRANCE...

85 - United are totally in command and seeing out the game in a professional way. The Newcastle fans are still making a lot of noise, to their credit. Both teams would be happy to hear the final whistle now.

RED ROM BACK ON THE GOAL TRAIL!

83 - Herrera replaces his fellow countryman Mata, who has put in another good shift this evening on his return to the team.

82 - United are maintaining control superbly by keeping the ball, with every pass almost greeted by a cheer from the fans. Herrera can finally come on now...

79 - It's all rather quiet on the pitch at the moment, with the substitutions breaking up the rhythm of the game. The attendance has just been confirmed as 75,035. Meanwhile, Ander Herrera is getting stripped and ready to come on for the Reds.

77 - Changes for both sides as the stadium suddenly increases in volume as the Reds faithful rises to greet the long-awaited return from injury of Zlatan Ibrahimovic, who replaces Lukaku. It's the first time the Belgian won't complete 90 minutes for United this season in the Premier League. Meanwhile, Newcastle bring on Mohamed Diame in place of their goalscorer Gayle.

76 - Incidentally, Lukaku is now the second highest scorer in the Premier League this season with eight goals behind Liverpool's Mohamed Salah, who has nine.

A second change of the evening for the Magpies as Aleksandar Mitrovic, who scored the last time the sides met at St James's Park and netted for Serbia during the international break, replaces Joselu.

70 - He's back among the goals! Lukaku links up well with Mata and, as the Newcastle defence fail to clear, the striker takes his time to steady himself before rifling into the roof of the net. It's his 12th goal of the season and first since the end of September. A big goal for the Belgian. Get in!

70 - Old Trafford rises to applaud the departure of Pogba, who has marked his comeback from injury with a lively display and a well-taken goal. The Frenchman rightly accepts the adjulation before making way for Marouane Fellaini, who will be hoping to have a similar impact to when he came on against Chelsea.

68 - Hayden is still on the deck receiving treatment as Shelvey prepares to deliver the corner. Judging by the look on Benitez's face, Benitez, the Newcastle boss knows his team could be in real trouble here.

Chris Smalling goes into the notebook for a foul on Hayden. He's the first United player to be cautioned by Craig Pawson this evening.

67 - There are huge cheers around Old Trafford as Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Marcos Rojo are sent out to warm up. Meanwhile, De Gea is called upon to make a fine save to tip a curling shot from Hayden from 22 yards over the crossbar.

66 - The first change of the evening is made by Newcastle as Matt Ritchie makes way for the arrival of Rolando Aarons.

64 - Pogba has picked up where he left off before his injury, imposing himself on the game and dictating the tempo in the engine room. He's been a delight to watch so far. The Reds faithful in the Stretford End certainly approve too. The game is well and truly in United's grasp now. Newcastle are about to make a change.

62 - The Reds take a short corner which almost catches Newcastle out but Clark stretches to head Rashford's cross away. We've not caught a glimpse of any substitutes warming up as of yet, so the boss must be happy with the players out there for the time being.

59 - Chance! Lukaku does well to harry Manquillo and force a mistake from the full-back before charging towards the byline and delivering an inviting cross which almost picked out Martial at the back post. It was just slightly ahead of the Frenchman but great play from the Reds nevertheless.

57 - United have made an imposing start to the second half and have surely put the game to bed now already. The Reds are on the goal trail again as a corner by Rashford is scrambled away for another flagkick, which Pogba flicks on to Martial but his header is blocked by Shelvey before Newcastle clear the ball away. It's one-way traffic now.

54 - He's back with a bang! It was a well-worked move as Lukaku does well on the right flank and his cross towards the far post is nodded back across goal by Rashford for the arriving Pogba, who finishes it off from close range for his third goal of the season. He marks his return to the team by getting on the scoresheet. Get in!

51 - United continue to attack purposefully as Martial gets away down the left hand side and clips in a cross, which might have been a shot too. Elliot gets a slight touch to help the ball on its way and it goes out for a United throw on the far side. More inventive play from the Frenchman, who is keeping DeAndre Yedlin on his toes.

49 - Close again! Lukaku does well to get a cross in, which finds Martial in space in the box. The Frenchman, who scored United's equaliser, brings it down on his chest but just couldn't quite connect with his second touch as he was falling backwards.

47 - Close! Pogba dinks a nice ball into the path of Rashford but his header across the face of goal, which he looked to steer into Lukaku's path, was clutched gratefully by Elliot. A good start to the second half for the Reds.

46 - Rashford gets the game back under way in the second half. Come on, United!

MATCH RESTARTS

The players are heading back out onto the pitch. United responded well to turn it around towards the end of the first half. It's been an exciting game so far. Let's hope the Reds can kick on now!

There were seven other Premier League games taking place earlier today. Here’s how they finished…

Arsenal 2 Tottenham 0
Bournemouth 4 Huddersfield 0
Burnley 2 Swansea City 0
Crystal Palace 2 Everton 2
Leicester City 0 Manchester City 2
Liverpool 3 Southampton 0
West Bromwich Albion 0 Chelsea 4

Possession: United 65% Newcastle 35%
Shots: United 9 Newcastle 9
Shots on target: United 3 Newcastle 4
Corners: United 6 Newcastle 3

And there goes the half-time whistle! A breathless first half comes to a close as the Reds come from behind to go into the break with a narrow lead. Headers from Anthony Martial and Chris Smalling cancelled out Dwight Gayle's early opener. Let's hope we can kick on in the second half.

48 - United survive a scare as Hayden's shot was saved by De Gea before Ritchie's follow-up effort struck Gayle and ricocheted inches wide. So close to a leveller for the visitors, just after the Reds took the lead.

45+1 - Right on cue! Smalling gets on the end of a dangerous cross by Young across the face of goal and heads home past Elliot for his first goal of the campaign. United have turned it around before the break. Get in!

45 - There will be three minutes of added time at the end of the first half. Still time for United to get another one before the break!

45 - United players and fans appeal for a penalty after Lukaku looked to have been tugged back by Clark as he latched on to a Young cross but the referee waves away the claims. It looked to be a strong case!

43 - Great tackle! Chris Smalling, who is making his 10th successive start in the United defence, times his tackle to perfection to thwart Gayle on the edge of the box after Murphy is also dispossessed by Young. Terrific defending.

40 - A whisker away! Young delivers a fizzing cross into the box from the left and Newcastle striker Joselu is inches away from heading into his own net, as his attempted clearance lands on the roof of the net. The resulting corner by Rashford was dealt with by the visitors, who survive a real scare.

39 - Newcastle immediately go on the attack as Hayden drives forward and pulls a shot wide from 20 yards. It's much better from United though as the Reds look to complete the turnaround before half-time.

37 - The Reds respond as Pogba takes on Manquillo and delivers a clipped cross to the back post where Martial got free to head home his seventh goal of the season. An assist on his return to the team for Pogba as the two Frenchmen combine and United are back on level terms. Get in!

34 - Newcastle keeper Rob Elliot needed treatment after landing awkwardly on his knee when he claimed a cross. He delayed the restart before eventually falling to the ground, with the Reds faithful making their feelings known about what they feel are further attempts to waste time. After all that, he is able to continue. There will no doubt be time added on for that stoppage.

33 - Pogba, who has seen a lot of the ball so far, almost unlocked the Newcastle defence with an incisive pass looking for Lukaku, who had made a well-timed run, but Lejeune was across to read the danger for Newcastle.

30 - The Reds are applying pressure as Lukaku wins a corner, which Rashford takes but Javier Manquillo heads it away for Newcastle. Given the way the visitors are defending at the moment, it might take something special to find a way past them and there are no shortage of players in red on the pitch who can conjure something magical.

27 - United are adopting a patient approach at the moment and spraying the ball around well, in a bid to keep Newcastle working and find a way back into the game. Rashford chases a forward pass from Young but it was slightly overhit for the forward and runs out of play.

25 - Chance! The closest the Reds have come to levelling matters so far as Lindelof drifts forward and delivers an inviting cross to the back post. Lukaku rises above Florian Lejeune but is unable to keep his header down as it drifts over the crossbar. A good opportunity for our top scorer to add to his 11 goals this season.

22 - We're at the midway point of the first half already. Newcastle have a man down as Gayle receives treatment on the pitch after appearing to collide with one of his team-mates. The goalscorer is fine to resume and play continues.

20 - Rashford has looked lively already and cuts inside as he picks up the ball in the left channel but his curling shot fails to trouble Elliot in the Newcastle goal, who has already been warned by the referee about time wasting from goal kicks.

18 - The Reds are pushing for an equaliser but Newcastle, as you would perhaps expect now they have taken the lead, are defending resiliently. The Magpies break clear up the pitch and go close twice through a Jacob Murphy shot straight at De Gea and Yedlin's low shot which was inches wide of the post. United are living dangerously at the moment.

16 - From a second corner by Mata, which was headed away by Clark, Rashford holds back on the edge of the box and unleashes a low shot which skips off the surface but travels wide of the post.

15 - The Reds are looking to respond immediately to that early setback as some good footwork from Mata wins a corner off Yedlin which the Spaniard takes but Newcastle clear away the danger.

The visitors take the lead, to the delight of their travelling fans, as Dwight Gayle's low finish from a DeAndre Yedlin cross from the right finds the net via the post.

13 - From the resulting free-kick, the ball dropped following a rebound and Lukaku heads tamely at Newcastle keeper Rob Elliot. It was a difficult one for the frontman, who had to generate all of the power himself but he's certainly occupying the two Newcastle centre-backs well so far.

12 - A first booking of the game as Newcastle midfielder Isaac Hayden receives a yellow card for chopping down Juan Mata as the Spaniard looked to break away for the Reds. A tactical foul, you might say.

10 - A first sighting of goal for the visitors as Ciaran Clark, who replaced injured skipper Jamaal Lascelles in the starting line-up, heads over six yards out from a corner.

09 - Anthony Martial, who impressed for France against Germany in midweek, cuts inside from the left flank and tries to float a diagonal pass to Mata but it was slightly too heavy and drifts out of play for a goal-kick.

07 - Chance! Lukaku, fresh from becoming Belgium's all-time leading scorer during the international break, turns Valencia's low cross narrowly over the crossbar from inside the six yard box after an excellent defence splitting pass from Mata opened up the Newcastle defence. The striker's first chance of the evening and he was very close to giving United an early lead.

06 - Pogba's first involvement on his first appearance since 12 September is to be upended by Isaac Hayden and referee Craig Pawson gives United a free-kick in the middle third of the pitch. The Frenchman will be keen to make an impact on his return - as he tends to do in every game - and rediscover his early season form.

05 - The Reds are slowly easing their way into the game, staying patient and keeping possession well. Like his opposite number Rafa Benitez, the boss is watching proceedings from his technical area so far.

03 - It's been a quiet start, although a poor clearance from David De Gea which put Victor Lindelof under pressure was greeted with ironic cheers from the Newcastle fans, who are making their voices heard in the away end to our right. A Shelvey free-kick floated into the box is also easily dealt with by the United defence.

01 - Newcastle captain Jonjo Shelvey gets the ball rolling and we are off and under way at Old Trafford. Come on, United!

MATCH STARTED

The players emerge from the tunnel to a rapturous reception inside the Theatre of Dreams, which is basking under the lights. There's a special feeling in the air with the return of Pogba to the starting line-up and Ibrahimovic and Rojo to the bench. After City's earlier win at Leicester, United need a win this evening. Let's hope we can get it! Kick-off is fast approaching...

This evening’s referee is Craig Pawson, who takes charge of his second United game of the season after handling our 1-0 win at Southampton in September. Incidentally, the Fifa official from Sheffield also officiated when Newcastle were last here in August 2015 and will oversee his first game at OT since the Reds’ 3-2 win over Arsenal in February 2016.

United not only have a strong OT record but are solid at home against the Magpies, who have won just once at OT in the league since 1972. Newcastle have conceded double the amount of league goals (10) than United (5) this season and have lost more games against United (84) than anyone else in their history, so it’s fair to say the odds are stacked against them.

Former Reds striker Andy Cole has given his reaction to the return of Pogba, Ibrahimovic and Rojo to the squad. He said: "It's a massive boost, especially the way Paul started the season. I think the team has missed him. Zlatan is another massive bonus. He may not start the game, but to have him on the bench and his impact now and for the rest of the season is going to be huge. Rojo, another defensive player coming back too, so yes all three are big plusses coming back."

Here are a few snaps of the players arriving at OT a little earlier, including some familiar faces back in the fold...

Pogba looks excited to be back in action - even in the warm-up!

The boss has crossed paths with Benitez on 16 occasions down the years but it’s been a decade since they were last in opposing dugouts in the Premier League, for a 1-1 draw between Liverpool and Chelsea at Anfield. Mourinho has the upper hand with seven wins, but Benitez is looking to become the first manager in PL history to win at OT with three different away clubs.

Benitez, who enjoyed mixed fortunes in M16 with his previous club Liverpool, is well aware there are plenty of Reds who can cause problems for his team. He said: “Lukaku is a threat. He can score goals. You have Mata, Rashford, Martial. Mkhitaryan is an amazing player. Everyone is a threat in this team. They have so much quality, they score goals, create chances and don’t concede too much.”

The Reds drew twice against Newcastle the last time they were in the top-flight in 2015/16, as a drab goalless stalemate at Old Trafford was followed up with a more exciting 3-3 thriller at St James’s Park. But United will be keen to get three points this time around.

The Magpies lost back-to-back Premier League games before the international break following 1-0 defeats away to Burnley and at home to Bournemouth. They came into the weekend in 11th place after 11 matches and have won just one of their last six league games.

Speaking in his pre-match press conference, Mourinho admitted his side has missed the influence of big stars Pogba and Ibrahimovic, as would any team in world football.

The Reds have emerged from the tunnel for the pre-match warm-up and there was a big cheer from some supporters in the Stretford End as Zlatan Ibrahimovic came out with his team-mates. His return has been a long time coming and he'll enjoy the spotlight this evening!

Here is how the visitors will line up this evening...

We’ve had a look around the United dressing room here at Old Trafford and have snapped the team’s shirts as the players get ready for action. For the first time this season, there’s a number 10 hung up…

So we have confirmation that Paul Pogba returns to the starting line-up as the midfielder is set to make his first appearance since injuring his hamstring against Basel on 12 September. It’s good to see the Frenchman return!

Jose has also confirmed that Eric Bailly has not been selected because he is injured while Henrikh Mkhitaryan is not injured and the decision to leave him out of the squad is tactical.

The boss has made four alterations from the Chelsea game 13 days ago as Paul Pogba makes his comeback after two months out with a hamstring injury, while there are starts too for Victor Lindelof, Juan Mata and Anthony Martial. Marcos Rojo and Zlatan Ibrahimovic return on the bench, from where Luke Shaw and Jesse Lingard could make their 50th and 100th club ap

Here is how the Reds will line up against Newcastle this evening…

The team news is just about to drop. Who do you think will play for the Reds tonight? There’s not long to find out…

Fans are making their way into the ground in their numbers and are in confident mood ahead of the game. The Theatre of Dreams has been a fortress for the last 14 months – let’s hope it continues this evening!

James Wilson scored again but the young Reds were held to a 1-1 draw in the local derby against Manchester City at Leigh Sports Village this afternoon. Read our developing report on the game.

Elsewhere today, Kieran McKenna’s side picked up three points in the Under-18 Premier League North as Angel Gomes scored twice in his first game since helping England Under-17s to World Cup glory in an impressive 4-1 victory at Blackburn.

Speaking of goals, they have been spread around the team this season, with 11 different scorers contributing to our 40-goal haul. Watch each of them score in our video.

On the flip side, if the history of this fixture is anything to go by, we can expect a few goals as there have been some belters down the years – the 4-3 win on Boxing Day in 2012, the 6-0 romp in 2008 and the spectacular 5-3 cracker in 2002 to name but a few. Will today’s game live long in the memory too? Let’s hope so!

Our legendary former goalkeeper Peter Schmeichel turns 54 today and what better way for us to celebrate his birthday by showing you arguably the greatest save in Premier League history against today’s opponents Newcastle. Head over to our Twitter account to take a look.

The front cover of United Review refers to our impeccable home record this season, which we will look to maintain this evening. You can have a read by picking up your copy of the match programme at the stadium or online.

Today’s game is the first of four matches in the space of 10 days for the Reds in all competitions, with United also playing twice a week for the remainder of 2017. It’s going to be full-on now until the next international break in March. Despite the hectic fixture list, there’s reason to be optimistic as we currently battle on three different fronts.

The Reds have yet to win in games played immediately after international breaks so far this season, drawing away to Stoke and Liverpool. We’ll be hoping to make it three points this time to kick start the campaign again.

The Reds, who haven’t tasted defeat at OT since September 2016, have won all eight games on our own turf this season in all competitions and are still yet to concede a Premier League goal at the Theatre of Dreams. United are much fancied to beat Newcastle and will be looking to keep that winning record going.

Magpies boss Rafa Benitez confirmed yesterday he’ll be without Paul Dummett, Mikel Merino, captain Jamaal Lascelles and Christian Atsu but Republic of Ireland duo Rob Elliot and Ciaran Clark are available.

United are set to be boosted by the return of Paul Pogba, Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Marcos Rojo to the squad, with the boss also confirming yesterday that Ibrahimovic will be on the bench. But Phil Jones is out after being injured on international duty with England.

The Stamford Bridge loss left the Reds eight points behind leaders Manchester City, who we play at OT next month in the first derby of the season. The gap could be wider before kick-off here, with City currently in action away to Leicester City, so United know a win this evening is much-needed.

As always, we’ll have team news for you an hour before kick-off but, without further ado, I’ll point you in the direction of our in-depth preview which contains all you need to know ahead of the match.

It’s been a long two weeks for United to agonise over the 1-0 defeat at Chelsea on 5 November, which was only our second defeat of the season in all competitions. But today’s game represents a chance to return to winning ways and claim a second league win in five games.

After the final international break of 2017, during which 14 United players were in action for their countries, the Premier League makes a long-awaited and very welcome return! The Reds are last on stage today with an evening kick-off under the floodlights at the Theatre of Dreams against the newly-promoted Magpies. Who's excited?

Hello and welcome to ManUtd.com’s live text coverage of Manchester United’s Premier League match against Newcastle United at Old Trafford. I’m Adam Higgins, bringing you updates before, during and after this evening’s game, right here in our rolling blog.