VIEW FROM THE BROADSHEETS
Sir Bobby Robson said he was shocked and surprised by
Manchester United's 6-2 win here last season and promised
supporters his side would be better prepared this time.
Wrong. Newcastle United were even worse. Manchester United
were on fire last April and there was no particular shame in
losing to the eventual champions. The only pyrotechnics on
this occasion were supplied by the smouldering volcano that
is Sir Alex Ferguson, who managed to get himself dismissed
from the dugout for arguing. As the officials were Uriah
Rennie and Jeff Winter, this hardly counts as a
conflagration, entertaining though Fergie's few moments of
fury were. 'I reacted the way I have many times before,
forgetting the FA have tightened things up this season,' a
contrite Ferguson explained. 'I will have to curb my
behaviour in future.'
The visitors were without Nicky Butt, Wes Brown and Gary
Neville. Discomposure at the heart of their defence was
evident as early as the second minute, when Shola Ameobi
turned expertly out of Rio Ferdinand's challenge and was a
shade unlucky the defender got away with a blatant tug in
the penalty area.
It was far from the only incident missed by Rennie. Strictly
speaking slaughtering referees is Radio Five Live's
province, but it was apparent from an early stage that
Rennie's rather woolly interpretations were irritating both
teams. Ferdinand climbed all over Alan Shearer after five
minutes, yet when the striker appealed for a clear foul he
found the referee was not even watching. Steve Griffin was
booked five minutes later for going through the back of Ruud
van Nistelrooy, even though the striker had cleverly timed
his turn to leave the full-back no alternative and the
Newcastle player had still managed to win the ball.
Robson had already had a furious row with fourth official
Winter before Ferguson chipped in, which gives some
indication of how contentious some of the decisions were.
Ferguson was incensed when Ryan Giggs ran on to a Van
Nistelrooy flick and was felled on the edge of the area by
Andy O'Brien. There was no suggestion of contact with the
ball, yet Rennie simply waved play on. Giggs was aghast,
Ferguson livid. A short volley of Anglo-Saxon coupled with
the word 'cheat' probably did for the Manchester United
manager, who booted away a ball for good measure en route to
a seat in the stand. From his position Ferguson possibly
thought Giggs had been denied a clear penalty. O'Brien's
foul was just outside the area, but had Rennie chosen to
award it he would also have had to dismiss the defender as
last man. 'We had a bit of luck there, I must record that,'
Robson said. 'The referee didn't get any help from his
linesman, was behind the play and played safe.'
'There was a slight difference in quality,' Robson shrugged.
'At least we only let them score twice. They scored 11
against us last season, so perhaps we are improving.'
Man of the match
Roy Keane His best days are supposed to be behind him, but
once he got some support in midfield he laid on both
Manchester United goals, picking out a poorly marked Ruud
van Nistelrooy on the edge of the box then delivering a far-
post cross for Paul Scholes. Still a class act.
Telegraph:
Manchester United's 6-2 win here last season and promised
supporters his side would be better prepared this time.
Wrong. Newcastle United were even worse. Manchester United
were on fire last April and there was no particular shame in
losing to the eventual champions. The only pyrotechnics on
this occasion were supplied by the smouldering volcano that
is Sir Alex Ferguson, who managed to get himself dismissed
from the dugout for arguing. As the officials were Uriah
Rennie and Jeff Winter, this hardly counts as a
conflagration, entertaining though Fergie's few moments of
fury were. 'I reacted the way I have many times before,
forgetting the FA have tightened things up this season,' a
contrite Ferguson explained. 'I will have to curb my
behaviour in future.'
The visitors were without Nicky Butt, Wes Brown and Gary
Neville. Discomposure at the heart of their defence was
evident as early as the second minute, when Shola Ameobi
turned expertly out of Rio Ferdinand's challenge and was a
shade unlucky the defender got away with a blatant tug in
the penalty area.
It was far from the only incident missed by Rennie. Strictly
speaking slaughtering referees is Radio Five Live's
province, but it was apparent from an early stage that
Rennie's rather woolly interpretations were irritating both
teams. Ferdinand climbed all over Alan Shearer after five
minutes, yet when the striker appealed for a clear foul he
found the referee was not even watching. Steve Griffin was
booked five minutes later for going through the back of Ruud
van Nistelrooy, even though the striker had cleverly timed
his turn to leave the full-back no alternative and the
Newcastle player had still managed to win the ball.
Robson had already had a furious row with fourth official
Winter before Ferguson chipped in, which gives some
indication of how contentious some of the decisions were.
Ferguson was incensed when Ryan Giggs ran on to a Van
Nistelrooy flick and was felled on the edge of the area by
Andy O'Brien. There was no suggestion of contact with the
ball, yet Rennie simply waved play on. Giggs was aghast,
Ferguson livid. A short volley of Anglo-Saxon coupled with
the word 'cheat' probably did for the Manchester United
manager, who booted away a ball for good measure en route to
a seat in the stand. From his position Ferguson possibly
thought Giggs had been denied a clear penalty. O'Brien's
foul was just outside the area, but had Rennie chosen to
award it he would also have had to dismiss the defender as
last man. 'We had a bit of luck there, I must record that,'
Robson said. 'The referee didn't get any help from his
linesman, was behind the play and played safe.'
'There was a slight difference in quality,' Robson shrugged.
'At least we only let them score twice. They scored 11
against us last season, so perhaps we are improving.'
Man of the match
Roy Keane His best days are supposed to be behind him, but
once he got some support in midfield he laid on both
Manchester United goals, picking out a poorly marked Ruud
van Nistelrooy on the edge of the box then delivering a far-
post cross for Paul Scholes. Still a class act.
Telegraph:
Roy Keane had declared his former marauding midfield style
as bereft of life as Monty Python's late Norwegian Blue
parrot. But as the old Keane took wing on a flight of
fantasy that sent Manchester United soaring to the
Premiership summit, you could only sit back and admire the
plumage.
Keane not only made both goals but press ganged his team-
mates into helping him to reshape the game after an under-
performing effort in the first half. Still full of running
in the final minutes, he played a short pass to John O'Shea
and sprinted down the left wing screaming for the return and
a chance to wreak more havoc.
Newcastle's plans to deny United time and space worked until
half-time, after which, as their opponents stepped up a
gear, their players discovered that they had neither the
energy to continue in the same vein nor the wit to devise a
Plan B. Robson said: "I told my players that there would be
a resurgence from United and that their players would be
angry at losing. But there's still a gap between them and us
and I don't know how big that gap is."
As well as their own pride, Manchester United were
invigorated by a sense of injustice when referee Uriah
Rennie waved play on after Ryan Giggs was brought down on
the edge of the box by Andrew O'Brien in the 22nd minute.
Rennie had been booed on to the pitch by home fans who
remember him sending off Alan Shearer in the opening game of
the 1999-2000 season and his whistle froze on his lips at
the realisation that if he gave the foul, another red for
O'Brien would have to follow.
Robson said: "We got a bit lucky with that decision but
sometimes they go for you and sometimes they go against you.
Alex Ferguson watched the second half from my office, which
has just been repainted. So I think he has had a good day."
Indie:
as bereft of life as Monty Python's late Norwegian Blue
parrot. But as the old Keane took wing on a flight of
fantasy that sent Manchester United soaring to the
Premiership summit, you could only sit back and admire the
plumage.
Keane not only made both goals but press ganged his team-
mates into helping him to reshape the game after an under-
performing effort in the first half. Still full of running
in the final minutes, he played a short pass to John O'Shea
and sprinted down the left wing screaming for the return and
a chance to wreak more havoc.
Newcastle's plans to deny United time and space worked until
half-time, after which, as their opponents stepped up a
gear, their players discovered that they had neither the
energy to continue in the same vein nor the wit to devise a
Plan B. Robson said: "I told my players that there would be
a resurgence from United and that their players would be
angry at losing. But there's still a gap between them and us
and I don't know how big that gap is."
As well as their own pride, Manchester United were
invigorated by a sense of injustice when referee Uriah
Rennie waved play on after Ryan Giggs was brought down on
the edge of the box by Andrew O'Brien in the 22nd minute.
Rennie had been booed on to the pitch by home fans who
remember him sending off Alan Shearer in the opening game of
the 1999-2000 season and his whistle froze on his lips at
the realisation that if he gave the foul, another red for
O'Brien would have to follow.
Robson said: "We got a bit lucky with that decision but
sometimes they go for you and sometimes they go against you.
Alex Ferguson watched the second half from my office, which
has just been repainted. So I think he has had a good day."
Indie:
Newcastle United – last major domestic honour the FA Cup of
1955 – were yesterday reminded, for all their progress in
the past decade, of how much they still have to do,
receiving what is becoming a biannual lesson from Manchester
United. In its way, the defeat was as comprehensive as last
season's 6-2 loss on the same ground. Badly missing Jonathan
Woodgate at one end and Craig Bellamy at the other, the home
side once again took the lead, only to fall apart. Once more
Ruud van Nistelrooy and Paul Scholes were their destroyers,
prompted by the irresistible force that is Roy Keane.
Every time the Geordie nation is given reason for great
expectations, it seems - and last May's third place was the
latest hint - the real champions arrive to put them in their
place. After this latest battle of English football's
venerable knights, Sir Bobby Robson was forced to
acknowledge as much. He had to wait, however, to
congratulate Sir Alex Ferguson, who had been banished from
the opposing dug-out for his furious reaction to a poor
decision midway through the first half.
Ferguson's rage was prompted by the second similar incident
in quick succession. In the first, the referee, Uriah Rennie
- ironically something of a hate figure on Tyneside - was
right to decide that Titus Bramble tackled Van Nistelrooy
fairly as the striker was homing in on goal, but two minutes
later Ryan Giggs was clearly tripped by Andy O'Brien a yard
outside the area.
A free-kick would have meant a red card, but the Irishman
escaped, and instead it would be the United manager who was
dismissed. He had made his view on the tackle known,
colourfully, then kicked the ball down the touchline in a
wild manner that would not have added to his scoring record
back in the old days as a centre-forward in Scotland.
Rennie, summoned by the fourth official, Jeff Winter,
ushered the Manchester United manager off, and he watched
the rest of the game from the comfort of Robson's office. A
20th Premiership game since last Christmas without defeat
made good viewing.
Times:
Rennies are supposed to prevent colic and violent bouts of
bile, but Uriah Rennie had the opposite effect on Sir Alex
Ferguson yesterday. The Manchester United manager was
ordered to the stands, for what is thought to be the first
time in 17 years in the English League, after deciding the
Sheffield official was a pain in more than just the stomach.
Ferguson watched the rest of the action on a television
screen in Sir Bobby Robson’s office and was mollified
slightly by the stirring comeback his players, driven by the
old lion Roy Keane, put together to overturn the one-goal
advantage Newcastle enjoyed at half-time.
Giggs looked set to give Manchester United the advantage
when he spun O’Brien and bore towards Shay Given, only to go
down on the edge of the box when the defender stuck a leg
across him, taking Giggs by the shins.
Rennie had a good view and seemed poised to blow for the
foul before thinking better of it, perhaps struck by the
realisation that if he penalised O’Brien, who was the last
defender, he would also have to send him off. The Manchester
United players were apoplectic, but their reaction was
nothing compared with that of Ferguson. He gave Uriah heaps.
As Robson observed, Newcastle “shaded” the first half,
labouring prodigiously to close their opponents down and
disrupting the flow of ball from Keane and Eric Djemba-
Djemba towards Ruud van Nistelrooy and his support.
But having worked so hard they then gave away two soft goals
after the interval. When van Nistelrooy went through on to a
Keane pass but shanked his shot with only Given to beat, it
should have been a warning for Newcastle, but moments later
Keane was allowed to slide another ball to his striker, who
was allowed “enough space for a double-decker bus”, Robson
observed, by O’Brien and Titus Bramble.
Van Nistelrooy swivelled and dispatched his 50th Premiership
goal past Given. Manchester United were soon ahead when
Keane stepped inside Aaron Hughes too easily and played a
ball across the six-yard box for Scholes to chest home at
the far post.
bile, but Uriah Rennie had the opposite effect on Sir Alex
Ferguson yesterday. The Manchester United manager was
ordered to the stands, for what is thought to be the first
time in 17 years in the English League, after deciding the
Sheffield official was a pain in more than just the stomach.
Ferguson watched the rest of the action on a television
screen in Sir Bobby Robson’s office and was mollified
slightly by the stirring comeback his players, driven by the
old lion Roy Keane, put together to overturn the one-goal
advantage Newcastle enjoyed at half-time.
Giggs looked set to give Manchester United the advantage
when he spun O’Brien and bore towards Shay Given, only to go
down on the edge of the box when the defender stuck a leg
across him, taking Giggs by the shins.
Rennie had a good view and seemed poised to blow for the
foul before thinking better of it, perhaps struck by the
realisation that if he penalised O’Brien, who was the last
defender, he would also have to send him off. The Manchester
United players were apoplectic, but their reaction was
nothing compared with that of Ferguson. He gave Uriah heaps.
As Robson observed, Newcastle “shaded” the first half,
labouring prodigiously to close their opponents down and
disrupting the flow of ball from Keane and Eric Djemba-
Djemba towards Ruud van Nistelrooy and his support.
But having worked so hard they then gave away two soft goals
after the interval. When van Nistelrooy went through on to a
Keane pass but shanked his shot with only Given to beat, it
should have been a warning for Newcastle, but moments later
Keane was allowed to slide another ball to his striker, who
was allowed “enough space for a double-decker bus”, Robson
observed, by O’Brien and Titus Bramble.
Van Nistelrooy swivelled and dispatched his 50th Premiership
goal past Given. Manchester United were soon ahead when
Keane stepped inside Aaron Hughes too easily and played a
ball across the six-yard box for Scholes to chest home at
the far post.