Matt Ritchie’s second half goal proved decisive at a boisterous St. James’ Park as Rafa Benítez’s side saw off the Red Devils thanks to a fine, relentless display.
Senegalese midfielder Diamé was the heartbeat of his side’s performance, setting the tone with an aggressive showing alongside his partner in the centre of the park, Jonjo Shelvey.
And after the game Diamé, unable to conceal his pride, told nufc.co.uk that his team got what they deserved.
“It’s a very good feeling – unbelievable,” grinned the 30-year-old. “It’s the kind of game that when you win it, with this atmosphere, the fans, the pressure we had before the game with the Huddersfield result – it’s just amazing. We’ve done brilliantly today.
“The team worked so hard. We were in front of the goal, stopping every single ball. It was a big battle, a big fight, but we’re so pleased with this result.”
The Magpies kicked off against José Mourinho’s men knowing that Huddersfield’s 4-1 win over Bournemouth had sent Newcastle into the bottom three in the Premier League table.
“We knew they were winning against Bournemouth so we knew the situation before starting the game,” said Diamé. “But to be honest we started well – we’ve been focused since the beginning, and we just worked hard together.
“We knew that the fans would push us. They’re the kind of team that if you don’t let them play, you can make them uncomfortable and that’s what we tried to do. We tried to push and press them, not allow them to turn with the ball, and I think we did well.”
Diamé’s performances in the last few months have improved drastically, earning him the January’s FUN88 player of the month award. He said he wants to keep performing at the level he’s reached in recent weeks, and added that United’s supporters gave him an extra boost on Sunday. “It’s helping you, it’s pushing you,” he said. “It’s giving you an extra breath, to give more and to work harder, and to keep on running even when you’re tired.”
The Magpies now have a two-week break, with a trip to Bournemouth on Saturday, 24th February to come next.
And though Diamé admits his side would have liked the chance to maintain that momentum, he says they will go into the next fortnight in good spirits.
“It’s true that’s it’s never good to stop after a good result, but to be honest, it’s good to win,” he said. “We have two weeks and it’s better to go into those two weeks with a win than without. We’re happy.”
