Disaster for Moyes as struggling United lose again

 

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.