SOCCER Newcastle Utd 3 Manchester Utd 0:MANCHESTER UNITED endured a second consecutive defeat that leaves them three points behind the Premier League leaders, Manchester City, but there is far more than that to concern the losers. They offered little against a Newcastle United full of purpose, organisation and danger. Indeed, Alex Ferguson ultimately chose to take off Wayne Rooney. Such a sight could not have been anticipated early in the evening.
The passionate atmosphere is all but an inevitability in this stadium, but it was assumed that these were scarcely the sort of visitors to be unsettled. United began quite brightly and although the opposition had a craving to mount onslaughts, there was little controversy or, for that matter, genuine incident until a remarkable opener for the hosts in the 33rd minute.
The Newcastle goalkeeper, Tim Krul, crashed the ball downfield and the head of a leaping Shola Ameobi flicked it on for Demba Ba to score with a hooked volley before Rio Ferdinand could intervene.
No immediate reaction from the opposition was permitted by Alan Pardew’s lineup. It may in practice be an impossibility for Newcastle to be champions this season, but there is still fun to be had inconveniencing visitors who arrive with great ambitions.
Achieving such an aim, however, must be even harder than it appears. Manchester United had not lost at St James’ Park since September 2001. The promising but not entirely reliable goalkeeper David de Gea was named among the substitutes, with the more seasoned Anders Lindegaard preferred.
There was sense that the older goalkeeper might deal better with a frosty night before a fiery crowd. The best method of protection is, all the same, to deny opponents possession.
Manchester United could not quite do that initially, but there was a gradual rise in authority that could be felt as the match took shape. With quarter of an hour gone, Rooney crossed from the left and Dimitar Berbatov’s header clipped the outside of post after deflecting off the full-back Davide Santon, although no corner was given.
The loss of the opener to Newcastle demanded they bring more of an edge to their work. Pardew’s men, for their part, had to stop themselves from assuming too defensive a posture. Many a side has gone wrong when seeking to protect a lead against Manchester United. A trial of temperament lay before Newcastle.
They rose to that challenge dramatically. Rather than resisting they did further harm to the opposition. After Phil Jones had been cautioned for his foul on Ba, Yohan Cabaye flighted the ball high past the right hand of Lindegaard in the 47th minute. If anything, it was getting easier to understand how Manchester United could have recently succumbed to Blackburn Rovers.
That, nonetheless, did too little credit to a Newcastle lineup that combined diligence with incisive attacking. With the Manchester United players giving no indication that they were about to transform themselves, Ferguson sent on Danny Welbeck to replace Berbatov in attack. It was only then that the visitors mounted the onslaught expected of them.
Newcastle avoided conceding a goal in a remarkable manner. Nani crossed from the right but after Rooney had connected with it in the goalmouth, Danny Simpson was still able to block on the line.
Pardew’s men still looked as if they wished to mount attacks doing so as a means of stopping United from finding rhythm and pattern. Watching the blunder by Phil Jones for Newcastle’s third goal, Ferguson could hardly have wished for the reminder that tough terrain lies ahead of anyone hoping to stay on the road to the title.
Guardian Service
NEWCASTLE UTD: Krul, Simpson, Coloccini, Williamson, Santon, Ryan Taylor, Tiote, Cabaye (Perch 77), Gutierrez, Shola Ameobi (Best 75), Ba (Obertan 89). Subs not used: Harper, Ben Arfa, Sammy Ameobi, Vuckic. Booked: Tiote.
MANCHESTER UTD: Lindegaard, Valencia, Ferdinand, Jones, Evra, Park (Hernandez 66), Carrick, Giggs, Nani, Berbatov (Welbeck 57), Rooney (Anderson 74). Subs not used: De Gea, Rafael Da Silva, Pogba, Lingard. Booked: Jones, Valencia.
Referee: Howard Webb(S Yorkshire).
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