WHENEVER Newcastle United’s fairytale season threatens to run out of steam, they produce a result like this.
Their start to the campaign has so defied footballing economics, never mind logic, that we have been waiting for it to end.
They emerged from a turbulent December still enjoying the ride after starting 2012 with what could already be its best result.
One glaring omission from Alan Pardew’s cv in an impressive first full season in charge of the club was a victory over any of the six super-clubs who currently sit above them in the table. They put that right last night with a win over the most glamorous of the lot – Sir Alex Ferguson’s champions.
The Magpies have emerged from a mammoth festive period of five Premier League games in 20 days just a point behind Liverpool and with the confidence to put a run of one win from their previous seven matches well and truly behind them.
Although Manchester United were given almost half a game to claw back a 2-0 deficit – something they managed to no great effect against Blackburn Rovers in ten minutes on New Year’s Eve – they were not left clinging on as they had been during November’s 1-1 draw at Old Trafford.
Instead Newcastle had a third goal to celebrate – ridiculously gifted to them by Phil Jones, who had been given a torrid night by the recalled Shola Ameobi. When Tim Krul punted a long ball down the field Anders Lindegaard moved left to collect it, only for the stooping Jones to head it into the empty net and give the keeper his second assist of the night.
Their opponents no longer the feared prospect they once were, the Magpies had started the game as positively as Pardew could have hoped, Davide Santon setting off on a couple of adventurous early runs from left-back.
Michael Carrick stopped the first, but Lindergaard had to save from Yohan Cabaye from the second. In between time a dangerous Danny Simpson cross passed just behind Demba Ba, falling over trying to contort himself to it.
Newcastle were certainly eager to test Lindegaard, selected ahead of David de Gea, at every opportunity. The impressive Checik Tiote also tried his luck from distance in the first ten minutes. After that, the visitors briefly took control, but were unable to make it count.
Krul beat Nani’s swerving shot away after Patrice Evra had beaten Simpson a little too easily. On the left-back’s next raid he picked out Dimitar Berbatov, the striker who used to sleep in a black-and-white striped No.9 shirt, but his header deflected off Santon and span agonisingly onto the outside of the upright.
