NEWCASTLE United navigated their reunion with Joey Barton and a highly-motivated Queens Park Rangers to secure the hard-fought point that moved them into fourth in the early Premier League standings.

United, outplayed for long periods and hanging on during a traumatic first half, were grateful for a hard-earned draw at Loftus Road in a game that their centre-back pairing of Fabricio Coloccini and Steven Taylor were once again outstanding.

But Alan Pardew will recognise the desperate need to improve in the forward area, where Shola Ameobi and Leon Best looked isolated and ineffective throughout.

That was not entirely their fault as United set up to protect their goal once again – with Yohan Cabaye and Cheik Tiote both in withdrawn midfield positions.

But United had only two chances of note in the entire game, a Best turn and snapshot that forced Paddy Kenny into a scrambling save and a header from the Republic of Ireland striker in the second half that flew aimlessly wide.

Rangers, by contrast, were a threat throughout as a team re-energised by serious deadline day spending looked to make a point.

United were forced to clear off the line twice in a frenetic first half – with Danny Simpson rolling a Bothroyd header wide and Steven Taylor clearing brilliantly from a Shaun Wright-Phillips lob as the first half concluded.