NEWCASTLE picked up the championship scent yesterday to leave St James's Park a new for its first title in 69 years.

Manchester United may still be top but Les Ferdinand's header that gave Newcastle the points in a tense though absorbing contest has made them catchable once more.

After another see sawing week end Manchester United's lead has been reduced to three points, and Newcastle still have a game in band.

They are, however, two behind on goal difference and Alex Ferguson's side have scored two more goals. The advantage, there fore, still lies with Old Trafford.

But Manchester United's unexpected 3-1 defeat at Southampton, on Saturday, followed by yesterday's result at St James's Park means that, in all probability, the championship will again be decided on the last Sunday of the season.

In essence the leading pair are waiting for each another to stumble in sight of the winning post. Manchester United have three matches to play, Newcastle four, and both will be at home on Wednesday, when Leeds go to Old Trafford while Southampton visit Tyneside.

Kevin Keegan, so depressed after Newcastle's defeat at Blackburn on Easter Monday, had recovered much of his old ebullience yesterday. "We're still in with a shout," he said, "the dream is still alive, that's the important thing. We've now got to win every game, and Manchester United will be saying the same thing. It could all come down to goal difference."

For an hour yesterday it seemed less than likely that Newcastle and Aston Villa would be separated by the difference of even one goal. A combination of Mark Bosnich's goal keeping, McGrath's experience and the fitfulness of the Newcastle's attack threatened to bring St James's Park a frustrating afternoon of nothingness.

The result after bell might have left the door at the top of the Premiership ajar but too many of Keegan's players performed with the nervousness of men who feared their fingers might be caught in it.

The notable exceptions were Batty, who scarcely put a foot wrong in midfield, Watson and almost inevitably Beardsley, who was the individual player most likely to deny Manchester United a third title in four seasons.

At times Newcastle's nerves jumped like a broken tooth. The obvious tension in the home dressing room manifested itself in a public slanging match between Keegan and Beresford midway through the first half which quickly led to the left back's replacement by Elliott.

The Newcastle manager appeared to he telling Beresford to get tighter on Charles, who was consistently getting behind the defence on the Villa right.

As far as the lip readers could tell, Beresford's reply was not conducive to good order and discipline.

"You can't have players saying what he said to me," said Keegan. "I was shouting instructions and I didn't like the answer I've got. But we've shaken hands on it now."

At that point in the match one sensed Newcastle's desperation. For all their possession they were making little impression on the (solid heart of the Aston Villa defence, and Villa's speed on the counter attack several times caught them thinly covered.

Yet throughout the game Hislop was rarely as busy as Bosnich. At least Newcastle were hitting the target and the low 25 yard drive from Lee which Bosnich dived to push away at the end of the half kept up the crowd's spirits.

After the interval Keegan played with three defenders Peacock, Albert and Elliott (pushed Watson up on the right brought Lee back into the middle.

As a result Newcastle gained in confidence and dominated thereafter.

The turning point arrived just past the hour. In the 62nd minute a slip by Lee allowed Milosevic to set up an exchange of passes with Yorke which left the Serb with only Hislop to beat. But Milosevic dragged his shot wide, of the far post, and in the next instant the game was won and lost.

From Watson's throw in Batty and Lee quickly worked the ball to Beardsley, overlapping on the right. As Beardsley's head high cross swung into the goal mouth Ferdinand slipped in to head past Bosnich.

The race is on again.