"I will survive," declared Sir Alex Ferguson in his programme column yesterday, answering his critics like a melodramatic disco diva. A third consecutive defeat would have intensified the pressure on the Manchester United manager, yet despite falling behind to Newcastle United, Old Trafford's young hearts ran free to gain an overdue Premiership win through a wonder strike by Wayne Rooney and Wes Brown's first League goal.
A week after thumping Newcastle 4-1 to reach the FA Cup final, United gifted their under-strength opponents a first-half lead after Tim Howard side-footed a clearance straight to Shola Ameobi. Darren Ambrose, whose performance embodied the spirited improvement shown by Graeme Souness's side, took over possession and brushed aside Quinton Fortune and Brown before beating an embarrassed Howard.
Nothing seemed likely to trick United into scoring until 12 minutes into the second half. Peter Ramage, making his debut in Newcastle's defence, then headed the ball towards Rooney, lurking 25 yards out. Without letting it land, the 19-year-old swung his right boot at it, the ball tearing past Shay Given's outstretched hands in a blur reminiscent of Tony Yeboah's much-replayed winner for Leeds against Liverpool a decade earlier. It was, as Ferguson said, a "phenomenal" goal, all the more so considering that he revealed Rooney was carrying a "dead" leg.
The decisive goal was an altogether more prosaic affair, Brown beating the taller Ameobi to head in Ryan Giggs's corner with 17 minutes left. The central defender had never scored for United outside of European football, and it said much about the nature of their problems this season that it took Ferguson's team to the modest landmark of 50 Premiership goals this season, 15 behind Chelsea and 23 adrift of Arsenal.'