Newcastle 1 Man Utd 1

Ralf Rangnick’s team are rescued by Edinson Cavani after Allan Saint-sensational Maximin’s score. It will be a mystery for all time how Newcastle only managed a point against this Manchester United rabble.

The Magpies were viewed as relegation fodder before the game, in desperate need of Saudi petro-dollars to save them in January if they were to avoid relegation.

Then the whistle blew, and Toon blasted the Red Devils from pillar to post, defying all odds.

As horrible as Man United were – and they were truly awful – Eddie Howe’s team was outstanding.

As a result, coming away with only a point will have to be considered a huge squandered opportunity.

After Allan Saint-Maximin sent them on their way, a famous – and monumentally crucial – victory was brewing on Tyneside.

However, they were unable to take advantage of the oddly one-sided match and were eventually punished by sub Edinson Cavani’s scruffy score with 19 minutes remaining.

Nobody expected them to come away with anything, but a loss would be a tremendous slap in the face for the Geordies.

If they keep playing like this, they should have no trouble staying up – even without any January reinforcements.

This was on par with – if not worse than – some of the dreck served up by Manchester United under Ole Gunnar Solskjaer.

It’s unclear how they spent the 15 days between their last game and this one.

With his sixth goal in 17 appearances off the bench, Cavani saved Ralf Rangnick’s flops.

Mason Greenwood came on at half-time, but his first shot from Diogo Dalot’s cross was blocked.

But the ball bounced right back into his path, and his second shot, while shabby, found the back of the net, saving them from the ultimate humiliation.

Rangnick is pursuing Arsenal and Tottenham for the final berth in the top four.

However, if they continue in this manner, they will be doomed.

After a disappointing 1-0 win at Norwich, Rangnick made two changes, putting in Raphael Varane and Mason Greenwood in place of Victor Lindelof and Jadon Sancho.

Newcastle made six changes after their 4-0 loss to Manchester City, but due to injury, Covid could only choose eight substitutes, including two goalkeepers.

At kickoff, St James’ Park was raucous and rowdy as usual, but it erupted in ecstasy after Saint-Maximin put Toon ahead seven minutes in.

Maguire had just made a dog’s meal of a routine clearance to let Ryan Fraser in down the right flank.

Varane, who was making his first game since injured his hamstring eight weeks ago, rescued the England defender, but he was also responsible for the opener.

Varane wasn’t the only one, of course.

Sean Longstaff caught him napping on the ball, which was his first – and crucial – mistake.

The Newcastle midfielder snatched it and passed it to Saint-Maximin on the left flank, who took care of the rest.

Cutting inside Diogo Dalot, the goal-scoring path appeared to be stopped.

Saint-Maximin, on the other hand, ran inside once more, this time past Maguire’s poor challenge, before bending his fourth of the season past David de Gea and into the far corner.

If that was supposed to be a wake-up call for the Red Devils, it didn’t work.

Sloppy doesn’t even begin to describe their dreadful first-half performance.

Newcastle had a stranglehold on the game after giving the ball away at practically every opportunity.

From a distance of 25 yards, Joelinton curled one inch wide, and Jonjo Shelvey stung De Gea’s hands.

Cristiano Ronaldo, perhaps, would pull them out of this current quagmire?

If anything encapsulated Man United’s difficulties, it was the Portuguese star kicking the mocking Gallowgate in the air.

There was ecstasy inside St James’ when Callum Wilson scored, only to be whistled for offside moments later.

Wilson, the talismanic striker, hobbled off and was replaced by Jacob Murphy just before halftime.

Rangnick also shook up his flops by bringing in Fred and Greenwood, as well as Jadon Sancho and Edinson Cavani.

It didn’t help at first, as the visitors were only able to stay in the game owing to a startling miss from Saint-Maximin just two minutes after the restart.

Emil Krafth outmuscled Scott McTominay and placed the ball on a plate for the goalscorer from four yards over.

His shot, however, was feeble and miscued, allowing De Gea to scramble over and smother.

With a twisting shot from distance pushed over by Martin Dubravka, Marcus Rashford almost made Toon regret it right away.

After being teed up by Sancho, Cavani scuffed a nice chance wide.

All of that rage erupted moments later when Ronaldo slammed into Ryan Fraser with a hasty, full-blooded kick.

St James’, which had become a complete bear pit, was clamoring for a red, but Ron was given a yellow by referee Craig Pawson.

United enjoyed the most of possession, but Toon were always a threat on the break, and Joelinton – who had been on fire all night – put in Fraser for a terrific chance that De Gea well saved.

With Man United STILL all over the place, Saint-Maximin forced the Spaniard into a great stop down to his left after 66 minutes.

But the longer it lasted 1-0, the more tense it became, until Rangnick’s team equalized after 71 minutes.

Cavani was found by Dalot’s low cross, but his perfectly struck first shot was stopped.

Returning to him, his second was as scruffy as you were.

However, there was still time for a winner, and Newcastle appeared to be the favorite.

Sub Jacob Murphy hit the post in the closing minutes before De Gea made a spectacular save to deny fellow substitute Miguel Almiron on the rebound.