Manchester United suffered yet another Old Trafford humiliation with a 2-0 loss to Newcastle United, while relegation-threatened Ipswich Town shook up the top four race with a stunning 2-0 upset of Chelsea.
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The Red Devils have lost three consecutive home Premier League matches as they languish in 14th on the table with 22 points from 19 games at the halfway mark of the season.
Manager Ruben Amorim is having a nightmare start of historic proportions, becoming the first United manager in more than a century to lose five of his first eight league matches in charge.
United legend Gary Neville said on Sky Sports pre-match that his former club’s play had been “torrid” in recent times and it was more of the same early against the Magpies, who scored twice in the first 20 minutes to set up a fifth consecutive win in all competitions.
Newcastle now sit three points shy of the top four in fifth place, and the looked like a top outfit from the outset.
The prolific Alexander Isak headed home his 12th league goal of the season, only Mohammed Salah and Erling Haaland have scored more, in just the fourth minute of the match.
Twenty-year-old left back Lewis Hall had plenty of space down the left, was picked out with a brilliant cross-pitch pass by Guimaraes, whipped in an excellent cross to find the Swede at the back post, who was never going to pass up such a golden opportunity to bury the ball into the bottom right corner.
Fifteen minutes later, United’s lacklustre defending was on display again when Joelinton also headed the ball into the back of the net to double Newcastle’s advantage.
The attack once again came from the left but this time it was winger Anthony Gordon dinking a cross to the near post with the Brazilian steering the ball into the bottom left corner.
Shortly after United goal keeper Andre Onana had to make back-to-back saves from successive corners – they conceded from corners in their previous two Premier League matches – to leave hearts in mouths around Old Trafford.
In the 30th minute, Isak put a spectacular shot past Onana into the top right corner of the net, but United were saved by the linesperson’s flag.
A minute later Tonali hit the post and it looked like Newcastle could put up a cricket score.
Amorim changed things up with the curious decision to sub off attacker Joshua Zirkzee for midfielder Kobbie Mainoo.
The sight of the fourth official holding up the substitute’s board received massive cheers from the home fans, who thought that perhaps Marcus Rashford, who was recalled to the squad for the first time in five matches would be coming on.
Rashford was unused however as the saga between the England international and the club continues.
Zirkzee was eventually applauded by the home fans, but it was a humiliating moment for the Dutchman who headed to the dressing room to take solace before making his way to the bench.
The move did disrupt the momentum however, as United managed to create a couple of chances of their own before half time through Rasmus Hojland and Casemiro to at least show some signs of life.
In the second half, United put in a more respectable display but the damage was done as the string went out of the contest.
The fact the game fizzled out almost added insult to injury for the Old Trafford faithful who left early in droves as they cursed a miserable finish to the year that, apart from winning the FA Cup against rivals Manchester City, contained a lot of disappointment.
RELEGATION BATTLERS STUN CHELSEA
Chelsea travelled to relegation-threatened Ipswich Town with the carrot dangling in front of them of a return to second place if they could head back to London with the three points in tow.
But the now 18th placed Ipswich had other ideas as they were clinical in attack despite hardly having any of the ball to pick up just their third win since being promoted to the top flight.
Chelsea had 11 more shots, had the ball for 76% of the match, completed almost 500 more passes than their opponents, but failed to score.
Ipswich on the other hand, took only 12 minutes to find their first goal when Liam Delap converted from the spot.
Delap himself was the player fouled as he received minimal contact from goal keeper Filip Jorgensen, but VAR ruled that it was sufficient for a penalty to be awarded.
VAR also stepped in shortly after to aid the home side as Joao Felix found the back of the net in the 24th minute but it was ruled out for off-side.
After half time, a former Chelsea player came back to haunt the Blues as Omari Hutchinson doubled Ipswich’s lead after a brilliant run and assist from Delap to capitalise on Axel Disasi coughing up the ball in the middle of the pitch.
Hutchinson made the controversial decision of celebrating against his former club with a spectacular backflip, much to the outrage of the Chelsea fans, after drilling an excellent finish past Jorgensen.
It was Ipswich’s first home Premier League victory since 2002 and part-owner Ed Sheeran was regularly shown in the stands lapping up a euphoric night at Portman Road.
The Tractor Boys move one point behind Wolves, who are above the drop zone.
Chelsea meanwhile remain in fourth and are winless in their last three matches following a 0-0 draw to Everton and a 2-1 loss to Fulham at home either side of Christmas.
VILLA SLIP UP LATE IN TOPSY TURVY CLASH
In the other match on Monday evening, Aston Villa came from behind to hit the lead before Brighton found an equaliser in the 81st minute to leave Villa Park with a 2-2 draw.
Tariq Lamptey’s first-time rocket crashed into the bottom corner for the levelling goal, and the sensational finish proved to a be a stunning way to cap off a thrilling encounter between the mid-table sides.
Brighton’s Simon Adingra opened the scoring in the 12th minute after pouncing on a loose ball in the penalty area, but after the early hiccup it appeared Villa had wrestled back control.
Ollie Watkins converted from the penalty spot in the 36th minute and two minutes into the second half Watkins assisted Morgan Rogers, who fired home from the edge of the box, to hand Villa the lead.
The home side would be kicking themselves with conceding late in the game however as they squandered a chance to stay in touch with the top four.
A win would have moved them to seventh, level on points with sixth-placed Manchester City, and only four points shy of fourth placed Chelsea.
Instead, they sit ninth at the halfway mark of the campaign, one place above Brighton who are two points in arrears.
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