If this does indeed prove to be Erik ten Hag’s farewell to Old Trafford, at least he goes out with a win. Manchester United gave their manager the kind of performance that has so often been lacking in this most wretched of seasons. The kind that will make Ten Hag wonder what might have been.

Where has this spirit been? This backbone? Who knows, Ten Hag may yet get another shot. But if his team had played like this more often, the Dutchman wouldn’t have been in this mess in the first place.

To be fair, Bruno Fernandes has rarely let Ten Hag down and he played like he had a point to prove in a week when his own future at United has come under scrutiny.

Casemiro, lampooned as emergency centre-back in recent weeks, looked like a man on a mission too. Amad Diallo was excellent again, and restored United’s lead after Antony Gordon had cancelled out Kobbie Mainoo’s opener.

Rasmus Hojlund, dropped to the bench, came on and scored what proved to be the decisive goal before Lewis Hall pulled one back. Everywhere you looked in this United team, there was improvement.

Rasmus Hojlund came off the bench after being dropped to score Man United's winner

It might be too little too late, both for United and Ten Hag.

Victory puts them level with Newcastle but still in eighth place. Goal difference means they will have to better Newcastle’s result on the final day to sneak into the Europa Conference. The only other way is to beat Manchester City in the FA Cup final and qualify for the Europa League. These are only crumbs of comfort.

Next week marks the second anniversary since Ten Hag first turned up at Old Trafford, all smiles and optimism in his beige suit.

He walked out of the tunnel here last night in front of the Stretford End (or shallow end if you have been following the jokes on social media since Sunday’s deluge after the defeat to Arsenal) with no guarantees he will be back in the dugout next season.

The handshakes with supporters sat around him seemed more enthusiastic than normal, and the message for them in his programme notes felt it may as well have been written for the owners.

‘Our supporters understand we are still undergoing our own development and there will be positive times to come if we all continue pulling in the same direction,’ wrote Ten Hag. ‘They recognise where the club is and the issues we have faced this season.’

Ineos will make their own decision, of course, and the way his second season has unravelled means the chances of Ten Hag staying on are only average at best.

Newcastle had won all three encounters between the two clubs since the highlight of Ten Hag’s reign, a victory in the Carabao Cup final in February of last year.

He responded to the latest defeat to Arsenal on Sunday by dropping Hojlund to the bench alongside Lisandro Martinez and Marcus Rashford, who returned from injury.

Supposedly it was to keep Hojlund fresh for the final league game at Brighton and the FA Cup Final, but the Dane only had one goal in his last eight league games after scoring seven in the previous six.

It meant Scott McTominay and Fernandes interchanging as false 9s and United immediately looked more of a threat.

Fernandes was at the heart of everything. Amrabat turned in another improved performance, as did Diallo. Casemiro was inspired.

After Martin Dubravka saved Fernandes’ freekick in the 10th minute, Casemiro sent a bicycle kick over the bar. McTominay aimed a tame header straight at Dubraka who then beat away Diallo’s effort and came out to block Alejandro Garnacho one on one as he chased Fernandes’ lovely dink.

When the goal arrived in the 31st minute, United certainly deserved it.

The ball was played to Diallo on the right and he cut inside before squaring it to Mainoo. The Newcastle players stopped – so did United’s to be fair – thinking Mainoo was offside.

But Kieran Trippier, making his first start since the start of March after injury, committed the same sin as Casemiro against Arsenal as he stayed far too deep to play the teenager onside. Mainoo steadied himself before steering a shot past Dubravka from 15 yards.

Having failed to punish Casemiro’s early error and then seen Lewis Hall test Andre Onana from distance, Newcastle responded with their best spell of the half.

When Amrabat’s mistake let in Gordon, the Moroccan appeared to foul the Newcastle winger before Casemiro slid in to clear the danger. VAR check, no penalty.

Moments later, Dan Burn rose to meet Jacob Murphy’s cross to the far post but Casemiro somehow keep it out with his head. Again the margins were fine, the whole of the ball not crossing the line.

But Newcastle were level less than four minutes into the second half when Amrabat failed to control a loose ball in midfield. It was moved right to Murphy who swung in an excellent cross, and Gordon’s finish was even better as he lunged in and stretched out a leg to beat Onana.

This United team have a horrible habit of falling apart when games turn against them, and it almost happened again as Newcastle suddenly broke three on one after Dubravka kept out Fernandes’ shot. Gordon sent Alexander Isak through but Amrabat redeemed himself, getting back to make a crucial challenge and send the ball looping onto the top of the bar.

A breathless second half swung back in United’s favour again after they won a corner in the 57th minute. Fernandes swung the ball over from the left, Murphy’s header flew through a crowded goalmouth and straight to Diallo who rifled it past Dubravka.

Newcastle were inches away from equalising again when Miguel Almiron couldn’t get on the end of Gordon’s cross and Hojlund wrapped it up in the 84th minute, guiding a shot inside Dubravka’s right -hand post. The Dane held a finger to his lips in celebration. At last a performance to silence United’s critics.

Hall’s excellent strike in injury-time made it a nervy finish but United never do things the easy way, even when they play well.