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United close in on Gunners
23/02/2008 21:56 - (SA)
Newcastle - Manchester United moved to within three points of Premier League leaders Arsenal with a thrilling 5-1 victory at struggling Newcastle.
Brilliant braces from Cristiano Ronaldo and Wayne Rooney, and an injury-time goal from former Magpie Louis Saha, saw Kevin Keegan's listless side crumble in the face of familiar pressure.
Having dipped below their normally impeccable standards at Lyon in midweek, the visitors were in no mood to allow three Premier League points to elude them at St James' Park.
And if the majority of Newcastle's eternally optimistic supporters filed into the stadium dreaming of a repeat of 1996 - when Kevin Keegan's original entertainers inflicted a 5-0 defeat on the Reds - then the realists among them feared a repeat of January's 6-0 reverse at Old Trafford.
Rooney, Ronaldo and Carlos Tevez formed a fearsome forward line and the inclusion of Nani added another attacking option on an afternoon which presented the visitors with an opportunity to capitalise on Arsenal's failure to take all three points at Birmingham City earlier in the day.
For Newcastle the absence of Australian international forward Mark Viduka suggested the former Middlesbrough favourite's days could be numbered under Keegan.
An unused substitute at Aston Villa a fortnight earlier, the experienced Socceroo was expected to spearhead the attack alongside England international Michael Owen.
Instead it was Alan Smith, without a senior goal for Newcastle in 27 appearances this season, who retained a starting place against his former club with Owen often operating as a lone striker during another depressing opening 45 minutes for the home team.
Keegan has fared no better than predecessor Sam Allardyce since agreeing to manage the club for a second time and a return of just two points from a possible 15 had seen them slip to the brink of the relegation battle.
Manchester United were never going to ease the collective anxiety gripping St James' and a brace of goals before the break ended the fixture as a contest.
In the 25th minute, Ronaldo tricked his way past fullback Habib Beye and whipped in an inviting cross to the far post.
Rooney was unmarked but the England forward still had it all to do as he placed a controlled volley past Shay Given.
Newcastle's Republic of Ireland international goalkeeper was beaten again on the stroke of half-time and it was another mesmerizing attack which left the Magpies' number one brutally exposed.
Midfielder Joey Barton lost possession to Rooney and a neat ball freed Newcastle-born Michael Carrick. The former Tottenham Hotspur midfielder played in Ronaldo and a confident right foot shot nestled inside the far post.
Given gave way for understudy Steve Harper after the break but the willing substitute swiftly experienced the same fate as his colleague.
Within 11 minutes of the restart Scotland international Darren Fletcher had played Ronaldo into space and he coasted through the Newcastle defence before rounding Harper for his second of the game.
Sir Alex Ferguson withdrew Ronaldo and the injured Nemanja Vidic with the win assured and the hosts finally forced home a goal of their own 11 minutes from time.
Forward Andy Carroll headed James Milner's corner into the path of Abdoulaye Faye and the Senegal international finished from two yards.
Manchester United's pride had been hurt and less than two minutes later the reigning champions had a fourth goal.
Smith cleared a corner straight into the path of Rooney and a stunning finish from 22 yards left Harper clutching at thin air. Saha's completion of a memorable rout was almost routine.
- AFP
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