Sports / Soccer
Newcastle United versus Manchester United as it happened
20 Apr 2011 at 00:15hrs | Views
Preamble Newcastle United v Manchester United may not be one of the classical fixtures of English football, but it has frequently produced classic matches and moments, from Philippe Albert's chip to arguably the greatest team performance of the Premier League era. There were eight goals that day and, as much as anything, this fixture has been a serial netbotherer: there have been 519 goals in 152 matches between this sides, a startling level of productivity that has actually – at St James' Park at least – increased in modern times. There have been 56 goals in 16 Premier League games on this ground; over the last decade, we've seen 37 in eight matches. Worth knowing, then, that you can get odds of 10-1 on a 0-0 draw.
You can get even longer odds on Arsenal or Chelsea denying United (Manchester) a record 19th title. Those odds might be a little generous but, while the big-boned lady has no business clearing her throat just yet, United will probably have to pay tribute Sir Alex Ferguson's beloved Devon Loch if they are to lose the title. Since three points for a win was introduced in 1981, no side has failed to win the title having had such a lead with six games to play.
The closest case was Blackburn in 1994-95. They led by eight points at this stage and, although they almost did do a Devon Loch – they lost three of their last five games and would have lost a fourth but one of the all-time-great goalkeeping performances from Tim Flowers – they crept over the line because United (Manchester) failed to win at West Ham on the final day.
In the end, Blackburn's remorseless excellence for six-sevenths of that season meant that they had enough points in the bank, just about. United may well have enough in the bank to allow for a late-season blip, especially with Arsenal giving haemorrhaging points in the comedy style, but they won't want to take the risk. That's a ludicrous statement of the obvious really; I don't know why I typed it. Football-team-wants-to-win-games shocker. Duh. Pulitzer please!
You do the math(s) United need 13 points from their last six games to be certain of the title, and 11 to finish above Chelsea, who appear to be their main challengers.
Team news Wayne Rooney returns after serving a two-match ban for inciting the most laughable moral panic since someone at the Daily Mail heard the lyrics to Pulp's Sorted for E's & Wizz. Professional scapegoat Dimitar Berbatov is not even on the bench, although he is with the squad. For Newcastle, the excellent Cheick Tiote also returns from suspension.
Newcastle United (4-4-2) Krul; Simpson, Coloccini, Williamson, Enrique; Barton, Guthrie, Tiote, Gutierrez; Ameobi, Lovenkrands.
Subs: Soderberg, Perch, Ryan Taylor, Ireland, Steven Taylor, Ranger, Kuqi.
Manchester United (4-2-3-1) Van der Sar; O'Shea, Smalling, Vidic, Evra; Carrick, Anderson; Nani, Rooney, Giggs; Hernandez.
Subs: Kuszczak, Owen, Park, Fabio, Evans, Valencia, Gibson.
Referee Lee Probert (Wiltshire)
"I did the math," says Ric Arthur. "Arsenal are two points ahead of Chelsea with six games to play each. If United lose today and Arsenal win their remaining games, they will probably be champions. So it's not the math, is it? You are factoring in some choke factor here, such as that Chelsea could beat Man U, but Arsenal couldn't." Not so much that as the fact that Arsenal are in miserable form and have a much tougher run-in than Chelsea. Which is not to say that they will finish below Chelsea, simply that it looks more likely than not at this stage. There is potential for a repeat of 2007-08, when Arsenal were United's main challengers for nine-tenths of the season before being overtaken by Chelsea at the death.
1 min United (Manchester), in red, kick off from left to right. Sam Allardyce is the co-commentator. Is this a first?
2 min A vital save from Tim Krul. It was devastating, penetrative play from United. Evra clipped a long pass down the left to Rooney, who had curved his run to stay onside, and he sidefooted a beautiful ball across the face of goal for Hernandez. He met the ball only four yards from goal and tried to sidefoot it wide of Krul, who spread himself bravely to smother the chance. Superb goalkeeping.
4 min Barton gets too clever for his own good. Gutierrez's cross from the left was only half cleared by the head of Smalling and came to Barton, beyond the far post and in a bit of space. He took a touch but then, instead of smacking the ball towards goal, tried a cute cut back that was cleared.
5 min A fine run infield from Gutierrez, aided by some feeble defending from Nani, O'Shea and finally Carrick, ends with a curling shot from the edge of the box that is well blocked by Smalling at the expense of the corner.
6 min This is a great spell for Newcastle. Barton drives over an excellent, angled cross from a narrow position on the right. It clears everyone except Ameobi, who stretches out his right foot to turn it towards goal from the corner of the six-yard box. He couldn't control the shot, however, and it was straight at Van der Sar.
8 min Newcastle win back-to-back corners. The second is eventually cleared to Tiote, who hits a vicious daisy-cutter from 25 yards that Van der Sar saves comfortably. It was a lovely strike, though, and this has been a fantastic start from Newcastle. They are all over United, pressuring them high up the pitch.
9 min Apparently the auto-refresh button isn't working. No idea why, as it's set up in the article. Sorry about that.
11 min United win their first corner; it's taken by Giggs and comes to nothing.
13 min The keen to Newcastle's early dominance – they have had 70 per cent of the possession – has been their energy without the ball. It's almost as if they tried to lull United into a false sense of security by sitting them off for the first two minutes, but after that they bombed them for an exhilarating ten-minute spell.
15 min Carrick, trying to redeem that shocker on Saturday, moves smoothly away from Tiote 25 yards out but then drags a weak shot across goal and wide.
16 min A good move from Newcastle ends with Gutierrez winning a corner on the left. Barton drills it to the far post and Vidic heads clear, but the ball comes straight back at United and this time Barton's deep cross from the left is headed wide by Ameobi. Newcastle had two against one then – Ameobi and Williamson on Vidic – but they got in each other's way.
17 min Hernandez tries to guide a curler into the top-right corner from 25 yards, but he sets it a fraction too wide and it doesn't come back enough.
18 min Hernandez forces a rudimentary save from Krul with a decent effort from a tight angle on the right side of the box. He looks very sharp.
19 min Rooney misses a great chance. Hernandez fought for a loose ball with Coloccini and helped it towards Rooney, who skipped past the last man Williamson and then, from around 12 yards and to the left of centre, tried to sweep a right-footed shot high into the net. It looked like he had skied it, especially when a goal kick was given, although replays showed it hit the body of the keeper Krul. Still, Rooney should have scored.
21 min Gutierrez is giving O'Shea major problems – it's almost as if they've targeted the wheezing lummox – and wins another corner. It comes to nothing.
24 min Manchester United have settled into the game after that very difficult start, yet they still look extremely fragile at the back. Giggs pulls Gutierrez over 25 yards from goal, pretty central, and Barton clips it straight at Van der Sar.
25 min Manchester United are being bullied in midfield. Anderson, one of the few in that area who is usually up for a scrap, has been pretty anonymous. It's been excellent stuff from Newcastle, though.
27 min "Is Gutierrez always this good or is it just because O'Shea's trying to mark him?" asks David Naylor. "He looks to be quite a player on this evidence." So did 97-year-old Beryl Nosiadek when she came up against O'Shea the other week.
28 min Nani shanks a loose ball over the bar from the right side of the box. He has been terrible so far.
29 min Nani dives in the penalty area after a nothing challenge from Gutierrez. Utterly pathetic, and he should have been booked.
30 min Another long cross from the excellent Barton goes all the way across the box to Gutierrez, who takes a touch and then thrashes into the side netting at the near post from a tightish angle.
31 min "In the week of the PFA awards, any nominations for underrated team of the season?" says Niall Murphy. "Tiote in midfield certainly. DJ Campbell up front?" Yep, wouldn't argue with those. I haven't seen much of Blackpool, but when I have Vaughan has been really good. I really like Albrighton, too, although I don't suppose he's underrated. Dirk Kuyt? Is he underrated any more?
32 min "Gravity beats Nani again," says Niall Mullen. "Stupid Isaac Newton."
33 min Hernandez towers above Simpson to head O'Shea's cross towards goal, but he couldn't generate enough power and it was a comfortable save for Krul. Still, Hernandez looks extremely sharp in what remains a very open game.
35 min This is Manchester United's best spell in terms of sustained possession, and Giggs eventually wins a corner off his former team-mate Simpson. It's a poor corner from Giggs – how many times has that been typed or spoken in the last 20 years – and easily cleared.
37 min "Let's jump to an assumption," says Ben Hendy. "If United win the title, will this be Fergie's worst title-winning team, or will they just be a team that really knew how to pace a season? They seemed to stroll and luck their way through many of their early games but since the wake up call of that run of defeats they've looked bright and fresh (Saturday aside) and looked especially good and in control against Chelsea." The worst, and by a distance, with 1996-97 second. In my always humble opinion.
39 min It's all Manchester United now, and Nani's 20-yard shot is well blocked.
40 min "Have you any idea how annoying it is when you refer to just 'United'?" says Raymond King. "It is also extremely insulting to Newcastle and all the other Uniteds such as Leeds, West Ham, Sheffield etc." It's force of habit; sorry. I'll do my best not to engage your wick any more.
41 min Smalling is penalised for putting his hands on Ameobi (I think), 20 yards from goal and fractionally infield from the left side of the box. Barton shapes a curler towards the far post, and Van der Sar makes a comfortable tumbling save.
42 min "Keep the updates coming as it's keeping me sane from a nagging wife," says Paul, who will be served any minute now, and not necessarily with his dinner. "I need the sympathy and a Newcastle goal."
42 min Coloccini strides across to make a vital interception from Hernandez, who was moving through on goal after a cute pass from Giggs.
44 min A great chance for Lovenkrands. Barton, again in a deep position on the right, spanks over a superb curling cross that beats the two Manchester United centre backs and finds Lovenkrands 12 yards from goal. He picks the right option, trying to head it back across goal and into the boot corner, but makes a mess of it and it goes wide. That was such a good cross from Barton, reminiscent of David Beckham in his pomp.
45+1 min Michael Carrick, who has had better weeks, is booked for a foul on Shola Ameobi just past the halfway line. I think it was accidental.
45+2 min An excellent Manchester United counter-attack ends with Giggs's smart, angled pass and a shot from Hernandez that is blocked by Coloccini. That's the last touch of the half...
Half time: Newcastle United 0-0 Manchester United ... and it was a fitting end to a breakneck half that was full of incident. It could easily be 2-2; as it is, a level scoreline is just about fair. See you in 10 minutes for the second half.
Talking of an underrated XI of the season, this is a great link from Gary Naylor. Chris Brunt can go in too. So: Baines, Brunt, Tiote, Vaughan, Campbell. Perhaps Albrighton and Kuyt. Anyone else?
Half-time email "Think that little cameo before half-time sums up the shortcomings of Michael Carrick: 1664 minutes of league action this season, and apparently that is his first booking," says Paul Keane. "I'm not advocating Scholes type 'tackles', but he should be sailing close enough to the wind that he picks up the occasional yellow...,,and his record is not because he is such a brilliant tackler. It explains why United get dominated in middle of the park when relying on him, and why he is (and only ever will be) what is commonly referred to as a "luxury player'."
Well, 1664 is a neat number, as he could do with some Dutch courage, or any type of courage. That said, and while I know what you mean, I don't think it's fair to criticise him for lack of bookings. He reads the game pretty well, and nobody criticises, say, Rio Ferdinand for the fact he is so rarely booked. His greatest problem is his relatively newfound lack of moral courage with the ball, in my always humble one.
46 min Newcastle kick off from left to right. This is a pr-etty big half in the title race. If Manchester United don't win, Chelsea are right back in the title race.
47 min "I'm not sure how you can logically rate the 1996/97 side the second worst Man United title winning side of the modern era," says Brad McMillan. "That side was the same as 1995/96, only with bells on. Ringing aloud were the following additions: Solskjaer, Johnsen, Poborsky. Add David Beckham's one-man goal of the season competition, a 4-0 thrashing of a great Porto side, and I'd say they were all right. Maybe the opposition were bad?"
What has thrashing Porto got to do with the league season? Much more instructive is the fact that, three days after Porto, they lost to a diabolical Sunderland side. United barely played in the league that season – partly because they didn't need to, so poor were the opposition, partly because they were justly preoccupied with Europe and partly because, Beckham aside, the kids had an inevitable comedown (as did Eric Cantona and, to a lesser extent, Peter Schmeichel). And you cite Poborsky as a positive addition? Wonderful player, useless at United. No title-winning side is a bad one, but I can't think of any of United's that were less convincing that the 1996-97 team.
48 min A dangerous inswinging cross from Rooney on the left is headed across goal and wide by the flying Williamson. It's a corner on the right, and Nani's excellent, dipping delivery leads to a nasty clash of heads between Williamson and Simpson. Is the 'nasty' tautologous? Probably. Simpson stays down for a while and then gets up, but he's still rubbing his head as Nani takes two more corners from the right. The second of those is flicked on dangerously by O'Shea and cleared by Tiote.
50 min "I'd be watching," says Will Morrison, "but apparently cooking the tea and buying the booze isn't enough to earn me the right to watch the game - Don't Tell The Bride all the way."
51 min Simpson concedes another corner, Manchester United's fourth of the half. Giggs crunches it low towards the near post, and it deflects off Guthrie and out of play. However, Anderson was in the vicinity, so the referee assumed it had come off his not inconsiderable frame and gave a goal kick.
51 min Giggs heads Nani's cross straight at Krul from 15 yards. It was a tricky chance, in that there was no pace in the cross, but he was on the run and we've seen him score with harder headed chances in the past, most notably against Coventry in 2001. Still, Manchester United have staHAIRDRYERrted the half splendidly, with a much greHAIRDRYERter tempo.
53 min "A nice quick display of the gap between what was 'champion' form last season versus this is shown here," says John Griffiths. "Also a quick way of being reminded that the bottom of the table is much more interesting viewing that the top." Very true, although I'd be loath to go too far in judging the quality of a title race by the points total of the winners. For example, the last champions with fewer than 80 points came from the epic title race of 1998-99, arguably the greatest in English football history.
55 min Manchester United are all over Newcastle. Carrick smacks an imperious 50-yard crossfield pass to Giggs; he kills it dead and whips over a dangerous cross towards Hernandez in the six-yard box, and Williamson, under extreme pressure, does really well to head it away. The performance in the first ten minutes of the second half has all the hallmarks of a serious hairdryer.
57 min "I'd say Szczesny could be considered underrated," says Alex Turowski. "Besides the one goof-up in the League Cup, he has looked confident and played well in goal for Arsenal. It's almost unfair how much he gets grouped in with the Three Stooges of Almunia, Lehmann and Fabianski." Can't argue with that.
58 min Lovenkrands falls over in the box after a slightly clumsy challenge for a penalty. There didn't seem to be much in it, although I'd like to see a replay. United break four on three, but Carrick bottles it completely and picks the wrong pass.
59 min That wasn't a good tackle from Anderson on Lovenkrands, actually. He didn't get the ball, and he did touch Lovenkrands' leg. Mind you, Lovenkrands was already on his way down having lost his footing. On reflection, that could easily have been given.
60 min "No mention of United's 02/03 side," says Chris Zacharia, "the memorable 'Veron Deluxe'?" They were mediocre for much of the season, but they (and particularly Ruud van Nistelrooy) ended it in unbelievable form, most notably in that 6-2 win on this ground. That was a rare example of a title race being a spring rather than a marathon. Plus the competition was much stronger in 2002-03 than 1996-97.
61 min Guthrie's flighted cross is shanked pathetically across his own box by the desperate O'Shea, and Lovenkrands heads the loose ball over from 12 yards. He was under extreme pressure from the excellent Vidic who, with O'Shea in this form, is pretty much doing the work of two men.
62 min The tempo of this match is furious, and there's a desperation and an openness that you usually find in the last 10 minutes of a game in which both sides need to score.
63 min Hernandez's pace so nearly makes something out of a long, overhit through ball from Anderson. In the end Coloccini baulked him for just long enough, legally I think, and Krul came out to smother at Hernandez's feet. He is such a joy to watch, Hernandez. His movement is outrageously good, perhaps the best in English football since Andy Cole.
64 min Tiote is rightly booked for a cynical trip on Rooney. He then briefly makes a fool of himself by waving his arms wildly in complaint. Everyone knew that was a yellow card, even Tiote.
65 min "I realise Wolves have let in a few too many goals this season," says Duma Langton, "but it would have been a lorry load more without Christophe Berra." Jamie O'Hara is also an underrated player, although I haven't seen Wolves enough to know if he's been any good this season.
66 min Carrick is pulled back by Lovenkrands, who should have been booked. The free kick is 30 yards from goal, perfectly central, and Rooney whips it straight into the hands of Krul.
67 min What a chance for Ryan Giggs! Evra did brilliantly, taking a sharp Hernandez pass away from Tiote with his first touch, and then he cut it back perfectly for Giggs, 12 yards from goal. He tried to drive it back whence it came into the bottom corner but drilled it a fraction wide. That's a poor miss, really.
68 min Stephen Ireland comes on for Peter Lovenkrands. Presumably he will play just behind Ameobi.
70 min Antonio Valencia replaces the disappointing Anderson. So Nani goes to the left and Giggs moves into the centre of midfield.
71 min "You talk of the kids' inevitable come-down, which is a good point," says Brad McMillan. "But what about the post-Treble come-down? If United didn't play in 1996/97, they barely showed up for 2 seasons after '99. In fact, the entire league seemed to be in hibernation during that time and Man United won by at least 10 points in both '00 and '01. A shadow of the Treble-winning team and far inferior to Poborsky and co in my opinion." How can winning by a mile, and with a midfield of Beckham-Keane-Scholes-Giggs, all in their pomp, be the mark of a poor side? In 1999-2000, they scored 97 goals in 38 games; in 2000-01, they had the title won by New Year's Day. The title races themselves were dull, but that's hardly United's fault.
72 min With his first touch, Ireland runs onto a knockdown from Ameobi and, from 19 yards, clips an excellent volley on the turn just wide of the near post. That's Ameobi's last touch; he has been replaced by Nile Ranger.
73 min "Can we please have a ban on talking of teams being 'back in' the title race?" says Rob Francis. "Arsenal have been in and out of the race so often they may as well be doing the hokey-cokey. And now Chelsea too? Can we not just say that probably neither will win the league as neither are consistent enough?"
74 min Vidic has a cut eye and has gone off for some emergency treatment.
75 min I wonder what laughably unsubtle device Michael "There's an important goal in me, honest" Owen is currently using in an attempt to get Sir Alex Ferguson's attention. He's probably forgotten that Ferguson is banned and therefore sitting in the stand. With any luck Knowing his luck he'll do some overly extravagant warm-ups, accidentally show a bit of private flesh and get banged up for indecent exposure.
76 min Newcastle United were under almost asphyxiating pressure around the middle of this half, but they have been more comfortable in these last 10 minutes. It's still all Manchester United in terms of possession, though, and the fleet-footed Nani is chopped down by Williamson on the edge of the box. Williamson is booked.
78 min The free-kick is curved towards goal by Giggs and headed away for a corner by one of the wall. Giggs takes the corner short to Nani, who moves menacingly into the box, running diagonally away from goal, and then cracks an excellent bobbling cross shot just wide of the far post. He has been much better in this half, and that was a superb piece of play.
79 min "Owen (or his agent) is probably sending a copy of that brochure up to the plush seats to remind Ferguson he exists," says Paul Keane.
80 min Rooney escapes Simpson 25 yards from goal and then spanks one wide of the near post.
81 min Michael Owen is booed onto the field, having replaced Nani. That means Wayne Rooney will play from the left. Some Willie Thorne lookalike in a replica shirt stands up and waves a £20 note in Owen's direction. "There's only one greedy bastard" chirp the Newcastle fans.
82 min If – if, if, if – this stays like this, and if Chelsea win their last six games (including one at Old Trafford), Manchester United will need 10 points from their last four games: Everton (H), Arsenal (A), Blackburn (A), Blackpool (H). That's not easy.
83 min Rooney appeals for handball, more in hope than expectation, when his long-range shot is blocked in the box by the sprawling Tiote. Actually, having seen a replay, that clearly struck Tiote on the arm. The arm was in front of his body, rather than extended. As with the Lovenkrands appeal earlier, it could have been given.
84 min This can't finish 0-0, surely?
87 min O'Shea completes a laughable performance by passing the ball straight into touch. Manchester United don't have that much momentum, certainly nowhere near as much as in the early minutes of this half. Berbatov has done nothing.
88 min After a long spell of possession, Giggs scuffs a shot on the turn wide of goal from 12 yards.
90 min Rooney brainlessly shoves Barton over down the Manchester United left, thus giving Newcastle a breather. There will be four minutes of added time.
90+1 min Javier Hernandez is booked for diving in the penalty area – but it appeared that he was fouled by Danny Simpson. At first I thought the ref had given a penalty. It's hard to be absolutely certain, even after five or six replays, but I reckon that probably should have been a penalty. I don't know. Hernandez does have a bit of history – he dived against Wolves in October – but on that occasion I reckon he was hard done by. He jumped to try to evade Simpson's challenge and fell over as a result (it is harder to ground yourself when you jump away from something from almost a standing start); whether there was contact or not, it's really hard to tell. I've never understood the perception, with incidents such as this, that it has to either be a dive or a penalty. Sometimes it's neither.
93 min Hernandez can't control Giggs's penetrative, short-range through pass. Had he done so, he would have been clear. Seconds later, the backpedalling Rooney slams a header wide from Valencia's cross. That was a very difficult chance.
Full time: Newcastle United 0-0 Manchester United Told you it would be 0-0. I have no idea how, mind you, because both teams went at it for most of the game, and there could easily have been three penalties. Still, Newcastle did not deserve to lose: they started brilliantly and then, in the second half, defended with enormous commitment. It was a very enjoyable and unusually open game, particularly for a 0-0, and it has also breathed new life into the title race. Manchester United are seven points clear of Arsenal and nine of Chelsea, but both have a game in hand – and also a game against United. Thanks for your emails; night.
You can get even longer odds on Arsenal or Chelsea denying United (Manchester) a record 19th title. Those odds might be a little generous but, while the big-boned lady has no business clearing her throat just yet, United will probably have to pay tribute Sir Alex Ferguson's beloved Devon Loch if they are to lose the title. Since three points for a win was introduced in 1981, no side has failed to win the title having had such a lead with six games to play.
The closest case was Blackburn in 1994-95. They led by eight points at this stage and, although they almost did do a Devon Loch – they lost three of their last five games and would have lost a fourth but one of the all-time-great goalkeeping performances from Tim Flowers – they crept over the line because United (Manchester) failed to win at West Ham on the final day.
In the end, Blackburn's remorseless excellence for six-sevenths of that season meant that they had enough points in the bank, just about. United may well have enough in the bank to allow for a late-season blip, especially with Arsenal giving haemorrhaging points in the comedy style, but they won't want to take the risk. That's a ludicrous statement of the obvious really; I don't know why I typed it. Football-team-wants-to-win-games shocker. Duh. Pulitzer please!
You do the math(s) United need 13 points from their last six games to be certain of the title, and 11 to finish above Chelsea, who appear to be their main challengers.
Team news Wayne Rooney returns after serving a two-match ban for inciting the most laughable moral panic since someone at the Daily Mail heard the lyrics to Pulp's Sorted for E's & Wizz. Professional scapegoat Dimitar Berbatov is not even on the bench, although he is with the squad. For Newcastle, the excellent Cheick Tiote also returns from suspension.
Newcastle United (4-4-2) Krul; Simpson, Coloccini, Williamson, Enrique; Barton, Guthrie, Tiote, Gutierrez; Ameobi, Lovenkrands.
Subs: Soderberg, Perch, Ryan Taylor, Ireland, Steven Taylor, Ranger, Kuqi.
Manchester United (4-2-3-1) Van der Sar; O'Shea, Smalling, Vidic, Evra; Carrick, Anderson; Nani, Rooney, Giggs; Hernandez.
Subs: Kuszczak, Owen, Park, Fabio, Evans, Valencia, Gibson.
Referee Lee Probert (Wiltshire)
"I did the math," says Ric Arthur. "Arsenal are two points ahead of Chelsea with six games to play each. If United lose today and Arsenal win their remaining games, they will probably be champions. So it's not the math, is it? You are factoring in some choke factor here, such as that Chelsea could beat Man U, but Arsenal couldn't." Not so much that as the fact that Arsenal are in miserable form and have a much tougher run-in than Chelsea. Which is not to say that they will finish below Chelsea, simply that it looks more likely than not at this stage. There is potential for a repeat of 2007-08, when Arsenal were United's main challengers for nine-tenths of the season before being overtaken by Chelsea at the death.
1 min United (Manchester), in red, kick off from left to right. Sam Allardyce is the co-commentator. Is this a first?
2 min A vital save from Tim Krul. It was devastating, penetrative play from United. Evra clipped a long pass down the left to Rooney, who had curved his run to stay onside, and he sidefooted a beautiful ball across the face of goal for Hernandez. He met the ball only four yards from goal and tried to sidefoot it wide of Krul, who spread himself bravely to smother the chance. Superb goalkeeping.
4 min Barton gets too clever for his own good. Gutierrez's cross from the left was only half cleared by the head of Smalling and came to Barton, beyond the far post and in a bit of space. He took a touch but then, instead of smacking the ball towards goal, tried a cute cut back that was cleared.
5 min A fine run infield from Gutierrez, aided by some feeble defending from Nani, O'Shea and finally Carrick, ends with a curling shot from the edge of the box that is well blocked by Smalling at the expense of the corner.
6 min This is a great spell for Newcastle. Barton drives over an excellent, angled cross from a narrow position on the right. It clears everyone except Ameobi, who stretches out his right foot to turn it towards goal from the corner of the six-yard box. He couldn't control the shot, however, and it was straight at Van der Sar.
8 min Newcastle win back-to-back corners. The second is eventually cleared to Tiote, who hits a vicious daisy-cutter from 25 yards that Van der Sar saves comfortably. It was a lovely strike, though, and this has been a fantastic start from Newcastle. They are all over United, pressuring them high up the pitch.
9 min Apparently the auto-refresh button isn't working. No idea why, as it's set up in the article. Sorry about that.
11 min United win their first corner; it's taken by Giggs and comes to nothing.
13 min The keen to Newcastle's early dominance – they have had 70 per cent of the possession – has been their energy without the ball. It's almost as if they tried to lull United into a false sense of security by sitting them off for the first two minutes, but after that they bombed them for an exhilarating ten-minute spell.
15 min Carrick, trying to redeem that shocker on Saturday, moves smoothly away from Tiote 25 yards out but then drags a weak shot across goal and wide.
16 min A good move from Newcastle ends with Gutierrez winning a corner on the left. Barton drills it to the far post and Vidic heads clear, but the ball comes straight back at United and this time Barton's deep cross from the left is headed wide by Ameobi. Newcastle had two against one then – Ameobi and Williamson on Vidic – but they got in each other's way.
17 min Hernandez tries to guide a curler into the top-right corner from 25 yards, but he sets it a fraction too wide and it doesn't come back enough.
18 min Hernandez forces a rudimentary save from Krul with a decent effort from a tight angle on the right side of the box. He looks very sharp.
19 min Rooney misses a great chance. Hernandez fought for a loose ball with Coloccini and helped it towards Rooney, who skipped past the last man Williamson and then, from around 12 yards and to the left of centre, tried to sweep a right-footed shot high into the net. It looked like he had skied it, especially when a goal kick was given, although replays showed it hit the body of the keeper Krul. Still, Rooney should have scored.
21 min Gutierrez is giving O'Shea major problems – it's almost as if they've targeted the wheezing lummox – and wins another corner. It comes to nothing.
24 min Manchester United have settled into the game after that very difficult start, yet they still look extremely fragile at the back. Giggs pulls Gutierrez over 25 yards from goal, pretty central, and Barton clips it straight at Van der Sar.
25 min Manchester United are being bullied in midfield. Anderson, one of the few in that area who is usually up for a scrap, has been pretty anonymous. It's been excellent stuff from Newcastle, though.
27 min "Is Gutierrez always this good or is it just because O'Shea's trying to mark him?" asks David Naylor. "He looks to be quite a player on this evidence." So did 97-year-old Beryl Nosiadek when she came up against O'Shea the other week.
28 min Nani shanks a loose ball over the bar from the right side of the box. He has been terrible so far.
29 min Nani dives in the penalty area after a nothing challenge from Gutierrez. Utterly pathetic, and he should have been booked.
30 min Another long cross from the excellent Barton goes all the way across the box to Gutierrez, who takes a touch and then thrashes into the side netting at the near post from a tightish angle.
31 min "In the week of the PFA awards, any nominations for underrated team of the season?" says Niall Murphy. "Tiote in midfield certainly. DJ Campbell up front?" Yep, wouldn't argue with those. I haven't seen much of Blackpool, but when I have Vaughan has been really good. I really like Albrighton, too, although I don't suppose he's underrated. Dirk Kuyt? Is he underrated any more?
32 min "Gravity beats Nani again," says Niall Mullen. "Stupid Isaac Newton."
33 min Hernandez towers above Simpson to head O'Shea's cross towards goal, but he couldn't generate enough power and it was a comfortable save for Krul. Still, Hernandez looks extremely sharp in what remains a very open game.
35 min This is Manchester United's best spell in terms of sustained possession, and Giggs eventually wins a corner off his former team-mate Simpson. It's a poor corner from Giggs – how many times has that been typed or spoken in the last 20 years – and easily cleared.
37 min "Let's jump to an assumption," says Ben Hendy. "If United win the title, will this be Fergie's worst title-winning team, or will they just be a team that really knew how to pace a season? They seemed to stroll and luck their way through many of their early games but since the wake up call of that run of defeats they've looked bright and fresh (Saturday aside) and looked especially good and in control against Chelsea." The worst, and by a distance, with 1996-97 second. In my always humble opinion.
39 min It's all Manchester United now, and Nani's 20-yard shot is well blocked.
40 min "Have you any idea how annoying it is when you refer to just 'United'?" says Raymond King. "It is also extremely insulting to Newcastle and all the other Uniteds such as Leeds, West Ham, Sheffield etc." It's force of habit; sorry. I'll do my best not to engage your wick any more.
41 min Smalling is penalised for putting his hands on Ameobi (I think), 20 yards from goal and fractionally infield from the left side of the box. Barton shapes a curler towards the far post, and Van der Sar makes a comfortable tumbling save.
42 min "Keep the updates coming as it's keeping me sane from a nagging wife," says Paul, who will be served any minute now, and not necessarily with his dinner. "I need the sympathy and a Newcastle goal."
42 min Coloccini strides across to make a vital interception from Hernandez, who was moving through on goal after a cute pass from Giggs.
44 min A great chance for Lovenkrands. Barton, again in a deep position on the right, spanks over a superb curling cross that beats the two Manchester United centre backs and finds Lovenkrands 12 yards from goal. He picks the right option, trying to head it back across goal and into the boot corner, but makes a mess of it and it goes wide. That was such a good cross from Barton, reminiscent of David Beckham in his pomp.
45+1 min Michael Carrick, who has had better weeks, is booked for a foul on Shola Ameobi just past the halfway line. I think it was accidental.
45+2 min An excellent Manchester United counter-attack ends with Giggs's smart, angled pass and a shot from Hernandez that is blocked by Coloccini. That's the last touch of the half...
Half time: Newcastle United 0-0 Manchester United ... and it was a fitting end to a breakneck half that was full of incident. It could easily be 2-2; as it is, a level scoreline is just about fair. See you in 10 minutes for the second half.
Half-time email "Think that little cameo before half-time sums up the shortcomings of Michael Carrick: 1664 minutes of league action this season, and apparently that is his first booking," says Paul Keane. "I'm not advocating Scholes type 'tackles', but he should be sailing close enough to the wind that he picks up the occasional yellow...,,and his record is not because he is such a brilliant tackler. It explains why United get dominated in middle of the park when relying on him, and why he is (and only ever will be) what is commonly referred to as a "luxury player'."
Well, 1664 is a neat number, as he could do with some Dutch courage, or any type of courage. That said, and while I know what you mean, I don't think it's fair to criticise him for lack of bookings. He reads the game pretty well, and nobody criticises, say, Rio Ferdinand for the fact he is so rarely booked. His greatest problem is his relatively newfound lack of moral courage with the ball, in my always humble one.
46 min Newcastle kick off from left to right. This is a pr-etty big half in the title race. If Manchester United don't win, Chelsea are right back in the title race.
47 min "I'm not sure how you can logically rate the 1996/97 side the second worst Man United title winning side of the modern era," says Brad McMillan. "That side was the same as 1995/96, only with bells on. Ringing aloud were the following additions: Solskjaer, Johnsen, Poborsky. Add David Beckham's one-man goal of the season competition, a 4-0 thrashing of a great Porto side, and I'd say they were all right. Maybe the opposition were bad?"
What has thrashing Porto got to do with the league season? Much more instructive is the fact that, three days after Porto, they lost to a diabolical Sunderland side. United barely played in the league that season – partly because they didn't need to, so poor were the opposition, partly because they were justly preoccupied with Europe and partly because, Beckham aside, the kids had an inevitable comedown (as did Eric Cantona and, to a lesser extent, Peter Schmeichel). And you cite Poborsky as a positive addition? Wonderful player, useless at United. No title-winning side is a bad one, but I can't think of any of United's that were less convincing that the 1996-97 team.
48 min A dangerous inswinging cross from Rooney on the left is headed across goal and wide by the flying Williamson. It's a corner on the right, and Nani's excellent, dipping delivery leads to a nasty clash of heads between Williamson and Simpson. Is the 'nasty' tautologous? Probably. Simpson stays down for a while and then gets up, but he's still rubbing his head as Nani takes two more corners from the right. The second of those is flicked on dangerously by O'Shea and cleared by Tiote.
50 min "I'd be watching," says Will Morrison, "but apparently cooking the tea and buying the booze isn't enough to earn me the right to watch the game - Don't Tell The Bride all the way."
51 min Simpson concedes another corner, Manchester United's fourth of the half. Giggs crunches it low towards the near post, and it deflects off Guthrie and out of play. However, Anderson was in the vicinity, so the referee assumed it had come off his not inconsiderable frame and gave a goal kick.
51 min Giggs heads Nani's cross straight at Krul from 15 yards. It was a tricky chance, in that there was no pace in the cross, but he was on the run and we've seen him score with harder headed chances in the past, most notably against Coventry in 2001. Still, Manchester United have staHAIRDRYERrted the half splendidly, with a much greHAIRDRYERter tempo.
53 min "A nice quick display of the gap between what was 'champion' form last season versus this is shown here," says John Griffiths. "Also a quick way of being reminded that the bottom of the table is much more interesting viewing that the top." Very true, although I'd be loath to go too far in judging the quality of a title race by the points total of the winners. For example, the last champions with fewer than 80 points came from the epic title race of 1998-99, arguably the greatest in English football history.
55 min Manchester United are all over Newcastle. Carrick smacks an imperious 50-yard crossfield pass to Giggs; he kills it dead and whips over a dangerous cross towards Hernandez in the six-yard box, and Williamson, under extreme pressure, does really well to head it away. The performance in the first ten minutes of the second half has all the hallmarks of a serious hairdryer.
57 min "I'd say Szczesny could be considered underrated," says Alex Turowski. "Besides the one goof-up in the League Cup, he has looked confident and played well in goal for Arsenal. It's almost unfair how much he gets grouped in with the Three Stooges of Almunia, Lehmann and Fabianski." Can't argue with that.
58 min Lovenkrands falls over in the box after a slightly clumsy challenge for a penalty. There didn't seem to be much in it, although I'd like to see a replay. United break four on three, but Carrick bottles it completely and picks the wrong pass.
59 min That wasn't a good tackle from Anderson on Lovenkrands, actually. He didn't get the ball, and he did touch Lovenkrands' leg. Mind you, Lovenkrands was already on his way down having lost his footing. On reflection, that could easily have been given.
60 min "No mention of United's 02/03 side," says Chris Zacharia, "the memorable 'Veron Deluxe'?" They were mediocre for much of the season, but they (and particularly Ruud van Nistelrooy) ended it in unbelievable form, most notably in that 6-2 win on this ground. That was a rare example of a title race being a spring rather than a marathon. Plus the competition was much stronger in 2002-03 than 1996-97.
61 min Guthrie's flighted cross is shanked pathetically across his own box by the desperate O'Shea, and Lovenkrands heads the loose ball over from 12 yards. He was under extreme pressure from the excellent Vidic who, with O'Shea in this form, is pretty much doing the work of two men.
62 min The tempo of this match is furious, and there's a desperation and an openness that you usually find in the last 10 minutes of a game in which both sides need to score.
63 min Hernandez's pace so nearly makes something out of a long, overhit through ball from Anderson. In the end Coloccini baulked him for just long enough, legally I think, and Krul came out to smother at Hernandez's feet. He is such a joy to watch, Hernandez. His movement is outrageously good, perhaps the best in English football since Andy Cole.
64 min Tiote is rightly booked for a cynical trip on Rooney. He then briefly makes a fool of himself by waving his arms wildly in complaint. Everyone knew that was a yellow card, even Tiote.
65 min "I realise Wolves have let in a few too many goals this season," says Duma Langton, "but it would have been a lorry load more without Christophe Berra." Jamie O'Hara is also an underrated player, although I haven't seen Wolves enough to know if he's been any good this season.
66 min Carrick is pulled back by Lovenkrands, who should have been booked. The free kick is 30 yards from goal, perfectly central, and Rooney whips it straight into the hands of Krul.
67 min What a chance for Ryan Giggs! Evra did brilliantly, taking a sharp Hernandez pass away from Tiote with his first touch, and then he cut it back perfectly for Giggs, 12 yards from goal. He tried to drive it back whence it came into the bottom corner but drilled it a fraction wide. That's a poor miss, really.
68 min Stephen Ireland comes on for Peter Lovenkrands. Presumably he will play just behind Ameobi.
70 min Antonio Valencia replaces the disappointing Anderson. So Nani goes to the left and Giggs moves into the centre of midfield.
71 min "You talk of the kids' inevitable come-down, which is a good point," says Brad McMillan. "But what about the post-Treble come-down? If United didn't play in 1996/97, they barely showed up for 2 seasons after '99. In fact, the entire league seemed to be in hibernation during that time and Man United won by at least 10 points in both '00 and '01. A shadow of the Treble-winning team and far inferior to Poborsky and co in my opinion." How can winning by a mile, and with a midfield of Beckham-Keane-Scholes-Giggs, all in their pomp, be the mark of a poor side? In 1999-2000, they scored 97 goals in 38 games; in 2000-01, they had the title won by New Year's Day. The title races themselves were dull, but that's hardly United's fault.
72 min With his first touch, Ireland runs onto a knockdown from Ameobi and, from 19 yards, clips an excellent volley on the turn just wide of the near post. That's Ameobi's last touch; he has been replaced by Nile Ranger.
73 min "Can we please have a ban on talking of teams being 'back in' the title race?" says Rob Francis. "Arsenal have been in and out of the race so often they may as well be doing the hokey-cokey. And now Chelsea too? Can we not just say that probably neither will win the league as neither are consistent enough?"
74 min Vidic has a cut eye and has gone off for some emergency treatment.
75 min I wonder what laughably unsubtle device Michael "There's an important goal in me, honest" Owen is currently using in an attempt to get Sir Alex Ferguson's attention. He's probably forgotten that Ferguson is banned and therefore sitting in the stand. With any luck Knowing his luck he'll do some overly extravagant warm-ups, accidentally show a bit of private flesh and get banged up for indecent exposure.
76 min Newcastle United were under almost asphyxiating pressure around the middle of this half, but they have been more comfortable in these last 10 minutes. It's still all Manchester United in terms of possession, though, and the fleet-footed Nani is chopped down by Williamson on the edge of the box. Williamson is booked.
78 min The free-kick is curved towards goal by Giggs and headed away for a corner by one of the wall. Giggs takes the corner short to Nani, who moves menacingly into the box, running diagonally away from goal, and then cracks an excellent bobbling cross shot just wide of the far post. He has been much better in this half, and that was a superb piece of play.
79 min "Owen (or his agent) is probably sending a copy of that brochure up to the plush seats to remind Ferguson he exists," says Paul Keane.
80 min Rooney escapes Simpson 25 yards from goal and then spanks one wide of the near post.
81 min Michael Owen is booed onto the field, having replaced Nani. That means Wayne Rooney will play from the left. Some Willie Thorne lookalike in a replica shirt stands up and waves a £20 note in Owen's direction. "There's only one greedy bastard" chirp the Newcastle fans.
82 min If – if, if, if – this stays like this, and if Chelsea win their last six games (including one at Old Trafford), Manchester United will need 10 points from their last four games: Everton (H), Arsenal (A), Blackburn (A), Blackpool (H). That's not easy.
83 min Rooney appeals for handball, more in hope than expectation, when his long-range shot is blocked in the box by the sprawling Tiote. Actually, having seen a replay, that clearly struck Tiote on the arm. The arm was in front of his body, rather than extended. As with the Lovenkrands appeal earlier, it could have been given.
84 min This can't finish 0-0, surely?
87 min O'Shea completes a laughable performance by passing the ball straight into touch. Manchester United don't have that much momentum, certainly nowhere near as much as in the early minutes of this half. Berbatov has done nothing.
88 min After a long spell of possession, Giggs scuffs a shot on the turn wide of goal from 12 yards.
90 min Rooney brainlessly shoves Barton over down the Manchester United left, thus giving Newcastle a breather. There will be four minutes of added time.
90+1 min Javier Hernandez is booked for diving in the penalty area – but it appeared that he was fouled by Danny Simpson. At first I thought the ref had given a penalty. It's hard to be absolutely certain, even after five or six replays, but I reckon that probably should have been a penalty. I don't know. Hernandez does have a bit of history – he dived against Wolves in October – but on that occasion I reckon he was hard done by. He jumped to try to evade Simpson's challenge and fell over as a result (it is harder to ground yourself when you jump away from something from almost a standing start); whether there was contact or not, it's really hard to tell. I've never understood the perception, with incidents such as this, that it has to either be a dive or a penalty. Sometimes it's neither.
93 min Hernandez can't control Giggs's penetrative, short-range through pass. Had he done so, he would have been clear. Seconds later, the backpedalling Rooney slams a header wide from Valencia's cross. That was a very difficult chance.
Full time: Newcastle United 0-0 Manchester United Told you it would be 0-0. I have no idea how, mind you, because both teams went at it for most of the game, and there could easily have been three penalties. Still, Newcastle did not deserve to lose: they started brilliantly and then, in the second half, defended with enormous commitment. It was a very enjoyable and unusually open game, particularly for a 0-0, and it has also breathed new life into the title race. Manchester United are seven points clear of Arsenal and nine of Chelsea, but both have a game in hand – and also a game against United. Thanks for your emails; night.
Source - GuardianUK
