LONDON: The clean sheets have ended but the clean sweep of trophies remains thrillingly in Manchester United sights.
Edwin van der Sar was finally beaten after 1311 minutes, Peter Lovenkrands pouncing, but the Big Red Machine rolls on. Goals from the outstanding Wayne Rooney, his ninth in 10 league games against Newcastle, and Dimitar Berbatov restored the champions’ seven-point lead at the top of the Premier League.
The Red Devils had made a trip to the Angel of the North in the afternoon, looking around this magnificent local landmark, before entering another famous spot on the Tyneside landscape. Initially, Sir Alex Ferguson’s champions ran into an ambush as Newcastle took the lead and fought impressively hard, although Steven Taylor overstepped the mark. Newcastle’s right-back should have been dismissed for whacking Cristiano Ronaldo.
Van der Sar had needed to survive 88 minutes to break the European record of 1390 minutes held by Danny Verlinden, who set the mark with Club Bruges in 1990. United’s keeper managed only nine minutes when Newcastle tore the champions’ defence apart and, amazingly given the Dutchman’s recent infallibility, forced a rare mistake.
In mitigation, Van der Sar had been left exposed by his defence. Obafemi Martins, at times in electric form, began the move, working the ball to Jose Enrique, Newcastle’s left-back who had pushed high up the pitch, racing towards an expectant Gallowgate.
The Spaniard laid the ball back to Jonas Gutierrez, whose innate sense of adventure meant only one response. Gutierrez nudged the ball forward and then let fly, the ball bouncing awkwardly in front of Van der Sar, spinning like an off-break.
This was still routine stuff for such an experienced keeper, a sportsman at the peak of his powers. Perhaps surprised to be tested, the Dutchman spilled the deviating ball and there was the unmarked Lovenkrands playing the poacher from close range, stroking the loose ball home in front of a jubilant Gallowgate.
As a goalkeeping record dissolved, a noise-making mark was surely set. St James’ Park raised the roof, their fans shouting their delight. Mike Ashley may still be estranged from most Newcastle supporters but he has certainly embraced their dress code. Jacketless in the cold, Ashley leapt into the air, joining the wild celebrations. The Gallowgate, meanwhile, was busy taunting Van der Sar with chants of "dodgy keeper’’, slightly harsh on a professional whose 14 previous league games had produced clean sheets.
Yet such a perfectionist as Van der Sar will have been furious with himself for such sloppiness. He could have pointed out to his defence to pick up Lovenkrands, a model of swift, incisive movement throughout a free-flowing gripping first half. With the champions momentarily stunned, Newcastle could have struck again, Lovenkrands and Martins combining superbly with the Nigerian firing just wide.
Newcastle then screamed for a red card for Nemanja Vidic, who had brought down Martins as the livewire No 9 was about to enter the champions’ penalty area. Fortunately for Vidic, Rio Ferdinand was covering and Bennett produced only a yellow. Ryan Taylor’s free-kick also failed to exact full punishment, disappearing aimlessly into the Gallowgate.
Their defence was eventually to let them down but Newcastle were pushing forward well. This was the type of football that St James’ craved, the team playing with pride in the black-and-white shirt, attacking with pace and width. Martins looked really interested. Lovenkrands buzzed everywhere. Alan Smith, making his first start of the season, made some important tackles in midfield.
And yet…Ferguson’s side have such self-belief, such quality that red waves were bound to crash across Newcastle, washing away a flawed defence. It soon arrived, the move accelerated by Vidic through the middle, the Serbian international finding Rooney. The England international, who loves playing against Newcastle’s defence, transferred the ball out first time to John O’Shea on the right. The Irishman played a 1-2 with Park Ji-sung and stroked the ball back to Rooney, who had entered the area.
Fabricio Coloccini stood behind him, the Argentinian barring the way but Rooney boasts the key to most locks. Controlling O’Shea’s pass with his right foot, Rooney let the ball roll across him and then he swivelled, completely wrong-footing Coloccini. Rooney’s left foot did the rest, driving the ball goalwards, catching Steven Taylor en route past Steve Harper.
A hugely entertaining game sadly saw some ugliness. Rooney waved an elbow at Coloccini and the half finished with an act of thuggery by Steven Taylor. A good defender undermined by a lack of intelligence and a hot-headed streak, Taylor raced shoulder to shoulder with Ronaldo, and clearly swung his left fore-arm into the European Footballer of the Year’s face. As Ronaldo collapsed, Taylor had not finished his moment of infamy, clattering into Michael Carrick.
Understandably, the leaders were outraged by Taylor’s disgraceful behaviour. Ferguson was off his seat, remonstrating with anyone who would listen and with those who wouldn’t. Ferdinand ran 50 yards to make his voice the visitors’ anger at an unrepentant Taylor, who refused to accept any culpability. Pity. Taylor needs to start listening otherwise a potentially promising career will go nowhere.
Determined to teach Taylor and company a lesson, Ferguson’s side came flying out of the traps in the second half, seizing the lead within 10 minutes. As Vidic required attention to a cut, Rooney dropped deep and launched a wonderful attack, sweeping the ball to Park on the left. Ryan Taylor slipped in attempting to chest the ball back to Harper, Park nipped in, playing it across to Berbatov, who finished with ease.
The lead gained, Ferguson’s men almost moved further clear after 71 minutes, Berbatov starting the move by winning a tackle, and finishing it with a shot that Harper tipped over.