Who saw this start coming? Incredible.

Rarely have a visiting side had to work as little to open up a two-goal lead at Old Trafford. Something does indeed seem to be rotten in the state of Trafford...

Image source, Getty Images

Simon Stone
BBC Sport at Old Trafford

Oh my goodness.

Jose Mourinho needed that like a hole in the head.

Newcastle have not won a Premier League game all season. They had not scored in their last two games.

That is a terrible start.

United's fans are trying to rally their team.

Newcastle instantly win a corner from the kick-off too...

I wouldn't say Old Trafford was particularly vocal in support of their manager. Not anti him either, just very quiet. The only thing I can hear is the away fans in fact.

Romelu Lukaku tracks back but all he can do is foul Ayoze Perez, straight through the back of the forward in fact and lucky not to be talked to by the ref. Rafa Benitez agrees and has a word with fourth official Stuart Attwell.

Image source, Reuters

I've definitely seen more smiles from Mourinho than normal today. Putting on an act for the cameras? The level of scrutiny on these guys is incredible really.

Newcastle stem the hosts' first attack as Eric Bailly then steps in to make a crafty foul on Matt Ritchie.

There's the first "sacked in the morning" chant of the day. From the away end I should stress.

Image source, Reuters

Jose Mourinho playfully squirts a water bottle at the cameras as they follow him into the dugout.

Away we go!

It will probably be in the papers first.

Simon Stone
BBC Sport at Old Trafford

At virtually the same time as Jose Mourinho was making his way from the tunnel to the dug-out, Ed Woodward was making his way up the steps to his seat in the directors' box.

If and when Mourinho is dismissed, United's executive vice-chairman will be the man who deliver the news.

Newcastle playing in Softmint blue today. Who is going to get a goal for them at Old Trafford, which looks full to the brim to me. The away fans are making a delicious racket.

The jangly tones of John Squire's Strat means that it's time for the teams to emerge from the tunnel at Old Trafford.

"Still United with Jose" reads a lurid banner held up by one fan near the dugout.

All smiles from Jose Mourinho as he comes out of the dressing room before his team. He slaps the hands of the officials and ha a word with someone in the Newcastle line-up - I thin Kenedy.

He actually looks as happy as I've seen him at a game in a long time.

Manchester United will kick off down in 11th place but Newcastle need the points, big time.

Newcastle have won just two of their 42 away matches in Manchester in the Premier League (D12 L28), winning 1-0 at Man City in September 2000 and 1-0 at Man Utd in December 2013.

Old Trafford is filling up on a very unseasonably sunny late afternoon in Manchester. Both sides have been out to warm up, it could well be an odd atmosphere out there.

Simon Stone
BBC Sport at Old Trafford

There is a pub a few hundred yards from Old Trafford that, naturally, gets packed pretty early on match days.

I was hanging around for about 15 minutes before I heard a Jose Mourinho chant.

There was one though and, at the start of the game at least, I am expecting the United fans to be behind the Portuguese.

Manchester United make three changes from the team that drew with Valencia in midweek with Scott McTominay, Ashley Young and Anthony Martial coming in for Marouane Fellaini, Antonio Valencia and Alexis Sanchez respectively.

Japanese striker Yoshinori Muto makes his first start for Newcastle up front. He is one of three changes from the side that lost to Leicester with Javier Manquillo and Federico Fernandez coming into the defence.