Newcastle's first home game of the season was a one to
forget as Manchester United came from one down to win 2-1
in a highly charged game with plenty of incidents.
Newcastle started brightest, with a half-hearted penalty shout
when it appeared that Shola Ameobi was pulled down by Rio
Ferdinand.The decision was waved away by Uriah Rennie.
Manchester United then went close, with a point-blank
save from keeper Shay Given from a Ryan Giggs corner.
Andy O'Brien then appeared to pull down Ryan Giggs in a tackle
from behind in a goal scoring opportunity that would of seen
O'Brien sent for an early bath, and Newcastle down to ten
men. With Giggs irate, it was Sir Alex Ferguson who was sent
off.....being sent from the touchline after giving fourth
official Jeff Winter some obscenities and appearing to kick
a ball away, much to the delight of the Newcastle United fans.
On 26 minutes seen a free kick for Newcastle after a handball
by Paul Scholes. The free kick curled in by Robert, seen Alan
Shearer convert a perfect header past Manchester United keeper
Tim Howard.
Newcastle kept the 1-0 lead until half-time, but Manchester
United came out a stronger team, with Ruud Van Nistelrooy
missing the target with a one-on-one with keeper Shay Given
in the first five minutes, then converting a few minutes later
ofter woeful defending by Newcastle.
7 minutes later came Manchester United's second goal, after
more woeful defending that seen an unmarked Scholes chest
in the ballinto an open-goal on 59 minutes.
With Manchester United holding onto a 2-1 lead, the 72nd minute
seen Sir Bobby make a triple substitution, bringing on 3 attacking
players, youngster Michael Chopra, Hugo Viana and Jermaine
Jenas, but a late equaliser wasnt the case.
With Manchester United winding down the clock by keeping possesion,
the final whistle blew after 2 minutes of injury time with
Newcastle losing their first home game of the season.
Sir Bobby said:
"Remember in this game last year we were 4-1 down at
that stage, so that was an improvement. We had controlled
the play and I felt we edged it.
"But we knew what they would be like in the second half, we
said that at half time. because they were a goal down and
would have been angry.
"They have class players, and they played the start of the
second half with a high tempo and have caught us with two
quick goals.
"Costly mistakes have cost us the match. van Nistelrooy turned
into space that you could have got a double decker bus into
for the first goal, and then Scholes has been left to run
from midfield for the second goal.
"Young Chopra could have made himself a hero at the end when
Alan playted him in, but perhaps he just lacked that bit of
cleverness to beat the keeper and he allowed him to make a
save."
"Andy has made the tackle from behind, he's the last man and
maybe he's been a bit lucky. The referee was behind the play
and the linesman hasn't really helped, but that's the way
it goes."
"Sometimes those decisions go for you, sometimes they don't.
But look at the incident in the first five minutes when Shola
went through with Rio Ferdinand. They have jostled for the
ball and in my opinion Ferdinand has never touched the ball,
but that's how it goes."
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Griffin (
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