“We’ve been waiting for this”: lynchpin of United’s Newcastle victory explains the best part of the win

Manchester United beat Newcastle United in a topsy-turvy Boxing Day clash to steal into fifth place in the Premier League. The points were sealed by a stunning Patrick Dorgu volley, but safeguarded by a robust defensive performance in an incredibly one-sided second half. Ruben Amorim started with a back four for the first time since his arrival at Old Trafford, and each member performed well to protect a rare clean sheet. He did not stint on his traditional substitutions, and United finished the match with the likes of Tyrell Malacia and Tyler Fredricson in the backline. “Finally!” Ayden Heaven was arguably the best of the bunch, and speaking to Sky Sports after the match said: “Finally, clean sheet, we’ve been waiting for this, and I’m just so happy. “This guy [Patrick Dorgu] here helped us get there, so thankful to everyone that helped us.” The 19-year-old was also asked about the change of system, having already established himself as an effective option in a back three. “It was different again, I was playing on the right side, obviously, my weaker foot,” he said. “The manager, we play loads of formations with him, whatever he does we know it’s going to work, you saw today. I’m so proud of the team.” Aiming high The points take United, albeit only briefly before the rest of the teams play over the next few days, into fifth place. Finishing in that spot would guarantee a place in the Europa League next season, and European football will certainly be top of the United hierarchy’s wishlist. Heaven said: “I think as Manchester United, we belong in Europe. We want to get back there next season so we can even push for top four, possibly win the league, anything’s possible. We want to keep trying.” United squeeze in one more match this year, home to Wolverhampton Wanderers on Tuesday. Featured image Carl Recine via Getty Images The Peoples Person has been one of the world’s leading Man United news sites for over a decade. Follow us on Bluesky: @peoplesperson.bsky.social Joe Ponting Joe has spent more than half his life writing about football and all of it following United. As a child he told a doctor his name was ‘Paul Scholes’, but could never pick a pass like him no matter how much he tried. He cut his teeth working in print media for local newspapers and entered football journalism covering the grassroots game for the Non-League Paper. Here he achieved a career high, interviewing United legend Sir Bobby Charlton to get his views on the lower echelons of the football pyramid. To kill time during international breaks Joe writes album reviews and has strong views on post punk for Plus One Magazine.