Newcastle United 3-3 Manchester United: Wayne Rooney frustrated after dropping points at St James's Park

Manchester United skipper Wayne Rooney cut a frustrated figure following the Red Devils' 3-3 draw against Newcastle Untied at St James's Park on Tuesday night (12 January). The striker has called on his team to find the right balance and stop conceding silly goals as they look to catch up on teams ahead of them in the Premier League table. They are currently in the sixth place with 34 points from 21 games.

The Old Trafford club had a great start to the game and were 2-0 up after 38 minutes through goals from Rooney and Jesse Lingard, who started ahead of Memphis Depay on the left wing. The Magpies, however, kept the tempo up and pulled one back just before the interval through top scorer Georginio Wijnaldum before Mitrovic levelled the game through a penalty in the 68<sup>th minute.

The United skipper looked to have scored the winner, when he gave his side the lead yet again with a wonderful finish from outside the box with just over ten minutes remaining, but it was not be as local boy Paul Dummet scored with a wonderful finish albeit with a deflection off Chris Smalling in the 90<sup>th minute to give Newcastle a much deserved point.

The 30-year-old forward, who looks to be getting back into form, was unhappy to give away two points and believes the goals they conceded could have been avoided. He has called on the team to find the right balance between attack and defence and stop conceding soft goals, which could jeopardise their aim of challenging for the title and finishing in the top four.

"I think after going 2-0 up we were in control of the game, and then we've let them back into it. To then get our third goal and concede again was disappointing from us," Rooney told MUTV following an entertaining draw against Newcastle United at St James' Park.

"I think they were silly goals to concede on our behalf and they were avoidable. They have cost us two points so we're disappointed. We can't keep going on conceding three goals every game so we have to work on that and create the chances without giving goals away.

"You can score as many goals as you want, but if you keep conceding goals then it's a problem. We have to keep trying to get that balance right and keep creating chances, scoring goals and keeping them out," the England international added.