Manchester Utd 5 Newcastle Utd 3
Alan Shearer's 100th Premiership goal for Newcastle made little impression at Old Trafford as Ruud van Nistelrooy's second Manchester United hat-trick gave the Red Devils victory in an eight-goal thriller.
Olivier Bernard's first-half fluke levelled Paul Scholes' opener for the home side, only for van Nistelrooy to strike twice before the interval, then again after it once Alan Shearer had smashed home Newcastle's second.
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer grabbed United's fifth to extend a 30-year unbeaten home record against the Magpies, but not before Craig Bellamy's glancing header had ensured a nervous climax for the Old Trafford faithful.