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Louis van Gaal has said that his side produced 'maybe the best match of the season' in their last-gasp victory over Newcastle United.
In a scrappy affair at St' James' Park, Ashley Young pounced in the 90th minute after a calamity of errors from the home side to hand all three points to United.
Van Gaal said: "I think we have dominated for 90 minutes, maybe our best match of the season, especially in an away match we deserved the victory.
"We didn't reward ourselves in the first half. It was a narrow escape because our rivals have won also so it's a rat race.
"We created a lot of chances and could have scored much earlier. They also made two big chances and I think David De Gea rescued us at that time."
Manchester United stay two points ahead of fifth place Liverpool as the race for the top four spots heats up.
Newcastle United manager John Carver said: "I'm devastated, I'm annoyed. I needed five to 10 minutes to calm down. Our guys gave every inch. But when you play Man Utd you have to concentrate for every minute and we didn't.
Newcastle v Manchester United - player ratings
"I think we had the best chances and you have to put one of those away. You just wonder if they will hit you on the sucker punch and they did.
"I'm devastated for our guys. The goal at the end the way it came, young Abeid has learned a harsh lesson, he is learning the game."
Newcastle have only won one of their last ten matches in all competitions and ended what at one point looked like a promising European challenge.
