MANCHESTER, 27 December (H.S.): Manchester United marked their only Boxing Day fixture of the year with a crucial 1-0 victory over Newcastle United on Friday, lifting the Red Devils to fifth place in the Premier League standings. The decisive strike came from Danish youngster Patrick Dorgu, who found the net during the first half at Old Trafford.

Under the guidance of manager Rúben Amorim, United have now accumulated 29 points from 18 matches, continuing their steady rise in the table. In contrast, Newcastle remain in 11th place with 23 points following the defeat. The rest of the weekend’s fixtures are scheduled for Saturday and Sunday.The match’s sole goal arrived in the 24th minute.

A long throw from Diogo Dalot unsettled the Newcastle defense, and a failed clearance brought the ball directly to Dorgu. The Danish full-back seized the moment with a thunderous volley from 15 yards out, sending the ball skimming into the bottom-left corner. The strike marked Dorgu’s first goal in Manchester United colors.

Despite Newcastle’s late push for an equalizer, United’s defensive structure held firm, especially in the closing stages. The victory was even more impressive given that United played without several key players — captain Bruno Fernandes was sidelined due to injury, while Bryan Mbeumo and Amad Diallo were away on international duty for the Africa Cup of Nations.

Notably, this Boxing Day witnessed a rare departure from tradition, featuring only one Premier League match, the fewest in 43 years. Typically, December 26 offers fans a full slate of festive fixtures, but this year’s schedule was unusually quiet — leaving the spotlight squarely on Manchester United’s narrow but vital triumph.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar