Marcus Rashford reminded Manchester United of what they are missing with a stunning double to ease Barcelona to a 2-1 Champions League victory at Newcastle.
The 27-year-old loanee, who scored in United’s Carabao Cup final victory over the Magpies in 2023, broke the deadlock at St. James’ Park with a 58th-minute header and then rifled home a second from distance in front of England boss Thomas Tuchel to make Eddie Howe’s men pay for missed chances earlier in the game.
Anthony Gordon, who returned from a domestic suspension in place of record signing Nick Woltemade, and Harvey Barnes both might have put the hosts in front before the break as they enjoyed the better of the chances, if not the possession, before Rashford’s intervention.
However, there was to be no repeat of Newcastle’s famous Faustino Asprilla-inspired 3-2 win over the Catalan aristocrats 28 years ago as they were taught a harsh lesson about life at European football’s top table despite Gordon’s late strike.
St. James’ reverberated to a cacophony from the stands as Barnes and Gordon combined to harry Barca keeper Joan García and defender Pau Cubarsí into early errors in a high-octane start to proceedings.
Gordon missed his kick in front of goal after Anthony Elanga had shown full-back Gerard Martín a clean pair of heels down the Magpies’ right to send in a low sixth-minute cross, and García gratefully claimed Barnes’ ball in after he had exchanged passes with Sandro Tonali.
The home side were served with a warning when Rashford turned Kieran Trippier inside his own half and raced in on goal only to drag his effort wide, and with the excellent Pedri and Frenkie de Jong seeing plenty of the ball, the visitors started to make an impact.
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Nick Pope did just enough to prevent Robert Lewandowski from making meaningful contact with Raphinha’s 18th-minute cross, but it was opposite number García who had to come to his side’s rescue six minutes later, saving with his legs after Barnes had met another Elanga cross first time.
Fabian Schär and Lewandowski were locked in an increasingly physical duel and the Poland international saw two shots blocked in quick succession with the Spanish giants starting to flex their muscles.
The first half ended goalless, but Newcastle might have broken the deadlock within three minutes of the restart when Joelinton met Elanga’s corner before glancing his effort wide at full stretch, although Schär took a goal-bound Rashford shot full in the face as the visitors responded.
Tonali fired straight at García after Elanga, Trippier and Bruno Guimarães had combined down the right, but it was Barca who took a 58th-minute lead when full-back Jules Koundé was allowed time to cross from the right for Rashford to plant a free header wide of Pope’s despairing dive.
The frontman repeated the feat in stunning style nine minutes later when he blasted a right-foot shot past the helpless Pope off the underside of the crossbar to extend his side’s lead.
Garcia had to pluck a Guimaraes snapshot out of the air as Howe’s men launched a late assault, but he was finally beaten in the last minute of normal time when Gordon steered substitute Jacob Murphy’s cross past him.