Gary Neville felt Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag made a big tactical mistake in the Premier League defeat to Newcastle United.

Second half goals from Joe Willock and sub Callum Wilson consigned United to defeat and saw Newcastle leapfrog them into third in the race for a Champions League spot. Ten Hag’s men were second best throughout at St James’ Park as they slipped to another away league defeat.

The visitors were fortunate to be level at the break after Eddie Howes’s side spurned a host of chances but Willock nodded in from close range to break the deadlock midway through the second half.

Ten Hag threw caution to the wind in the closing stages, taking off starting centre-backs Raphael Varane and Lisandro Martinez and introducing Victor Lindelof and Facundo Pellistri.

United moved to a makeshift back three with Diego Dalot and Luke Shaw playing either side of Lindelof but the gamble backfired as Wilson made the game safe late on. And Neville felt those late changes handed Newcastle the initiative to go and secure the points.

“Once those changes were made this was the most predictable outcome,” he said after Wilson scored. “Manchester United just had no height in there.

“You are better off having two with them both being centre-backs rather than three with two full-backs, you end up being really exposed.