Newcastle vs Manchester United LIVE: Premier League result, final score and reaction tonight

Both of these clubs hope to embark on bright, prosperous new eras. Both cannot yet be certain that they have escaped a far too familiar malaise.

Newcastle United and Manchester United’s stories have defined this Premier League season so far, yet they reach something approaching its halfway mark – give or take a few postponements – by sharing a point that satisfies neither.

Newcastle, at least, can take a faint sense of optimism by ending a testing set of fixtures with this unexpected draw. Before Christmas, when outclassed as they hosted visitors from the other side of Manchester, it was tempting to write this game off and focus on a more favourable run to come.

Yet at full-time, Eddie Howe was instead cursing that the match did not produce a precious victory.

From Ralf Rangnick’s perspective, it was the wrong United doing all the right things in this 1-1 draw.

And Joelinton embodied a lot of what Newcastle did so well, writes Melissa Reddy:

Newcastle have dropped more points from winning positions than any other team in the Premier League this season (19). They have only won one of the nine league games in which they have scored first in this season with five draws and three defeats.

The Magpies had eight shots on target, while only facing four from Manchester United – since 2003-04 (as far back as Opta have this data), this is the first time Newcastle have recorded twice as many shots on target as the Red Devils in a Premier League match.

A point apiece means that it’s as you were for both Newcastle and Manchester United. Newcastle remain 19th in the table but have joined Burnley (18th) on 11 points.

Manchester United are still seventh. They have 28 points, seven behind Arsenal in fourth but the Red Devils have two games in hand o the Gunners.

Gary Neville labelled Manchester United’s players “whinge-bags” as he slated a “shocking” first-half performance against Newcastle.

The relegation-battling Magpies led 1-0 at the break at St James’ Park after Allan Saint-Maximin’s seventh-minute goal punished a Raphael Varane mistake, and the hosts might have scored more against a below-par United side, who went on to draw 1-1 after Edinson Cavani’s equaliser.

It was Manchester United’s attitude that most upset their former defender Neville, with Cristiano Ronaldo one of several players who appeared to spend more time on the pitch arguing than trying to create opportunities.

Edinson Cavani has scored six goals in 17 appearances in the Premier League for Man Utd as a substitute, with only four players scoring more such goals for the club: Ole Gunnar Solskjaer (17), Chicharito (14), Marcus Rashford (9) and Anthony Martial (8).

90+6 mins: There goes the final whistle! The points are shared after Edinson Cavani came off the bench to equalise for Manchester United. Newcastle will be gutted, that was one of - if not their best - performance of the season so far.

Manchester United were better in the second half but still gave away plenty of chances and were rescued three or four times by David De Gea. It was another poor performance from the Red Devils and they’ll come away happy with a point.

90+3 mins: Joelinton takes a shot from outside the Manchester United box and it strikes Varane on the hand. Newcastle want a free kick but the referee lets play go on.

De Gea sends it long and Man Utd win a throw in in the Newcastle half. Bruno Fernandes floats a long one into the box and Dubravka comes to claim it. He grabs the ball above Sancho but drops it!

Sancho quickly passes it to Cavani who flicks it across to Ronaldo but Schar is there to head it away.

90 mins: Six minutes of added time to play. That’s plenty of time for a winning goal. Can someone get it?

86 mins: Newcastle are managing the game well enough. They’ve limited Manchester United’s chances all game and the visitors still can’t find a way through their defence.

Chance! The Magpies break on the counter-attack and fly up the pitch. Murphy carries the ball into the box and curls one towards the back corner. It hits the post and bounces out to Almiron, he rolls the ball onto his left foot and fires it towards the opposite side of the net. It’s flying into the top corner but De Gea leaps to his right and palms it wide of goal.