Roy Keane delighted with the spirit shown by United vs Newcastle | OneFootball

Plenty of Manchester United fans were apprehensive heading into the Boxing Day clash against Newcastle owing to the sheer number of key personnel sidelined for the game.

The Red Devils were without two of their most potent attackers in Amad and Bryan Mbeumo, and without their midfield talisman in Bruno Fernandes, as well as their best defender this season, Matthijs de Ligt.

Not to mention the likes of Kobbie Mainoo, Harry Maguire, and Noussair Mazraoui, also missing in action. However, the Red Devils dug in at Old Trafford on Friday and came up trumps.

Not only did they secure all three points courtesy of a 1-0 win, but they also clinched their second clean sheet of the current Premier League campaign.

Roy Keane delighted with the clean sheet

And it all came about from Ruben Amorim’s decision to tweak things, right from his much-publicised system to his substitution calls and relying on players who he had criticised before.

The win catapulted them to fifth in the standings, level on points with fourth-placed Chelsea.

Club legend, Roy Keane, who has been fierce in his criticism of the team in recent weeks, was delighted with the spirit shown by the team.

As a defensive midfielder himself, the Irishman was most pleased with the fact that the team won ugly, a trait not too often seen under the current head coach.

“Yeah, it’s a big night for them. You can talk about the players who were missing, particularly Bruno. So to get a clean sheet, a lot of young players are getting an opportunity.

“It certainly wasn’t pretty to watch, but I’ve said that many times before, give me the points over the plaudits all the time,” he told Sky Sports.

Roy Keane praises “special” goal

“Big win for them, some games coming up, and you’re thinking, “Can they get some momentum, can they go on a proper run?” And obviously now, they’ve got to keep this momentum going. A big win, an ugly win, but a huge win for them.”

Roy Keane also praised Patrick Dorgu’s special effort, while also claiming the team showed pride when trying to stop the opposition.

“To come out and win an ugly game, specifically from a defensive point of view, keeping that clean sheet. There has to be pride in your defending.

“The goal was fantastic, a special goal. But if you want to make progress, it has got to be about being defensively solid.

“It is a start in terms of momentum for the younger players, but you have to find something.”

And with bottom side Wolverhampton Wanderers to come next at the Theatre of Dreams, surely United will be looking to climb further up the table next week.

Feature image Carl Recine via Getty Images

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