London: Paul Dummett’s deflected 90th-minute equaliser denied Louis van Gaal’s Manchester United a morale-boosting victory as Newcastle United snatched a thrilling 3-3 draw in the Premier League on Tuesday.
Wayne Rooney completed a brace with a stunning 79th-minute goal to put United 3-2 up, after a 2-0 advantage procured by goals from himself and Jesse Lingard had been wiped out by Georginio Wijnaldum and Aleksandar Mitrovic.
But with United manager van Gaal contemplating a win that would have gone some way to repairing the damage caused by Saturday’s insipid 1-0 win over third-tier Sheffield United in the FA Cup, Dummett slammed home to prevent the visitors drawing level with fourth-place Tottenham Hotspur.
“Of course it feels like a defeat,” said van Gaal, whose side visit arch-rivals Liverpool on Sunday.
“We have given it away. I have told that to my players. We could have scored six goals easily here, and we did not.”
United were left two points off the Champions League places in sixth, with West Ham United moving above them, and could lose further ground after Wednesday’s matches.
Newcastle inched to within a point of safety and while they remain in the relegation zone, manager Steve McClaren drew great encouragement from his side’s refusal to be beaten.
The visitors quickly took control of the match with Rooney sending Rob Elliot the wrong way from the penalty spot in the ninth minute after referee Mike Dean penalised Chancel Mbemba for handball.
Rooney, in the 38th minute he created their second goal with a delightful reverse pass that allowed Lingard to slot it between Elliot’s legs.
Wijnaldum sounded the Newcastle revolt four minutes later, neatly volleying in his eighth goal of the season after Marouane Fellaini had headed Fabricio Coloccini’s pass into his path.
