The Canada Under-21 international from Ontario grabbed the all important equaliser with a 20-yard drive to cap a thrilling home debut.
And to make it a day to remember, his dad, Eddie, who played one game in goal for United, was in the stand to watch his son's finest hour.
Newcastle had forged in front with a stunning James Milner goal only for Paul Scholes to turn it around with a goal either side of the interval to leave Manchester United in the driving seat.
But it turned out to be a youthful Newcastle United's day and they were delighted with a point, whereas Manchester United are now seven points clear at the top - but will still view this as two points dropped.
Shay Given became only the ninth Newcastle player to make 400 appearances for the club, and all being well this season the popular Irishman could move to sixth position in the all-time table by overhauling Alan Shearer (404), Bobby Mitchell (408) and David Craig (412).
Newcastle's crippling injury situation had already ruled out hamstring victim Peter Ramage, who limped out of action at Bolton on Saturday.
His unlikely central defensive replacement Nicky Butt also missed out with a swollen left ankle against his former side meaning a home debut for youngster Edgar.
Sir Alex Ferguson, fresh from celebrating his 65th birthday on New Year's Eve, recalled both Paul Scholes and Nemanja Vidic after suspension, while skipper Gary Neville returned from injury and Patrice Evra was preferred at left-back to Gabriel Heinze.
There was a great early chance for Ryan Giggs when he was played in by Louis Saha but shot across the face of the goal and agonisingly wide of the far post.
Manchester United were in total control but were almost caught out in the 13th minute when Scott Parker played in Kieron Dyer in the inside right channel only to see Edwin Van der Sar pull off a superb save.
Given then denied Saha and from a corner the former Newcastle striker saw a header cleared off the line by Parker.
Newcastle thought they had good claims for a penalty when a full-blooded Antoine Sibierski shot struck the hand of Vidic but referee Rob Styles was not impressed.
But any complaints were quickly forgotten when Milner lashed home a stunning effort to open his account for the season.
It came on 32 minutes when he picked up possession on the right from Dyer and skipped inside of Neville to strike a 20-yard drive across Van der Sar for only his second Premiership goal in a black and white shirt.
Wayne Rooney was then denied at the other end by Given before Manchester United drew level through Scholes five minutes before the break.
Starting the move, Scholes found Cristiano Ronaldo who picked out Rooney to tee up Scholes who produced an excellent finish from the edge of the box.
Sibierski had a perfect opportunity to put Newcastle back in front but headed Nobby Solano's cross straight at the feet of Van der Sar from just eight yards.
Substitute Ji-Sung Park could have made it even better right on the stroke of half-time with a shot on the turn which crashed against the foot of Given's far post.
It then took Manchester United just 32 seconds of the second half to go ahead for the first time - and once again it was that man Scholes.
A cross-field ball found Ronaldo who rolled it to the path of Scholes whose 20-yard drive through the crowded goalmouth left Given unsighted as it appeared to take a slight deflection off Steven Taylor.
But Newcastle stunned the league leaders from the most unlikely of sources with an equaliser after 74 minutes.
Milner on the right played the ball back to Edgar and the 19-year-old powered in a 20-yard low shot that struck Scholes and flew in at the far post.
Desperate for maximum points to keep the pressure on Chelsea, Manchester United had their chances.
Solano popped up on the line to keep out a Ronaldo header from a Giggs corner and then Park's poor first touch saw him waste a glorious chance late on.