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  • Lovenkrands (9)
  • Rooney (20), Berbatov (56)
  • Date:2009-03-04
  • Kick-off:19:45
  • Venue:St James' Park
  • Attendance:51636
  • Referee:Bennett, S

Live Commentary

90mins

Steve Bennett blows for full-time and Manchester United are again seven points clear at the top of the table.

90mins

Cristiano Ronaldo slides the ball across the six-yard box but there is no-one there to meet the cross.

90mins

Jonas Gutierrez is booked for a tackle from behind on Ji-Sung Park.

90mins

Jose Sanchez Enrique and Jonas Gutierrez combine well but Michael Carrick is back again to clear the ball well upfield.

89mins

There will be three minutes of added time.

88mins

Dimitar Berbatov is replaced by Ryan Giggs.

86mins

Michael Carrick does well to steal the ball off Jose Sanchez Enrique on the edge of the area.

85mins

Obafemi Martins has a shot which is well held by Edwin van der Sar.

84mins

Cristiano Ronaldo gives the ball away carelessly and Manchester United are in danger of becoming a little complacent.

82mins

Peter Lovenkrands has a low shot and Edwin van der Sar is down to make the save.

81mins

LuaLua is on for Alan Smith.

79mins

Alan Smith loses the ball again and Michael Carrick charges forward but can't make the most of the opportunity.

78mins

Cristiano Ronaldo goes past Steven Taylor in the area and finds Wayne Rooney but he can't get his shot away.

76mins

Ryan Taylor is replaced by Andy Carroll.

74mins

Newcastle are putting themselves under pressure with poor defensive clearances.

72mins

Manchester United break after Alan Smith loses the ball and Dimitar Berbatov forces a great save from Steve Harper.

70mins

Wayne Rooney has a shot from just outside the area which is straight at Steve Harper and he manages to keep hold of the ball.

69mins

Wayne Rooney powers forward and is well challenged by Jose Enrique.

68mins

Alan Smith makes another strong challenge on Dimitar Berbatov and receives a talking-to from the referee.

67mins

Tonight's game isn't a sell-out but there are still almost 52,000 inside St James' Park.

65mins

Ryan Taylor concedes a free-kick for a challenge on Patrice Evra and the referee speaks to them both.

63mins

Sebastien Bassong makes a great last-ditch challenge and concedes another corner.

62mins

Newcastle are chasing the game now.

61mins

Obafemi Martins is again down after being crowded out by Rio Ferdinand and Nemanja Vidic but no free-kick is given.

60mins

The crowd appeals for a penalty after Obafemi Martins goes down in the area but nothing is given.

58mins

The Manchester United fans are making themselves heard now.

56mins

Dimitar Berbatov puts the visitors in front with an easy finish after Steven Taylor's error allows Ji-Sung Park to roll the ball across goal.

55mins

Nemanja Vidic is off the field again receiving treatment on his cut cheek

54mins

Patrice Evra puts in a searching cross and Steve Harper is forced to make the save.

54mins

Alan Smith has made a couple of heavy challenges and could be the next into the book.

53mins

Newcastle have started the second half well and the crowd are responding.

52mins

Peter Lovenkrands is almost on the end of Jonas Gutierrez's pass but Edwin van der Sar is able to make the clearance.

51mins

Ryan Taylor wastes another free-kick as he lofts the ball over the heads of everyone in the area.

50mins

Both players are back on the pitch.

49mins

Nemanja Vidic needs some treatment after a clash of heads with Obafemi Martins.

48mins

Obafemi Martins creates a chance for himself with some great skill but then gives the ball away.

47mins

Steven Taylor makes an important clearance just as Patrice Evra is about to find himself through on goal.

46mins

The second half gets underway.

45mins

Rio Ferdinand is booked for arguing with the referee after the half-time whistle had gone.

45mins

The referee blows for half-time.

45mins

Steven Taylor pushes Cristiano Ronaldo out of play and is booked.

45mins

There is one minute of added time.

44mins

Patrice Evra is through on goal but passes to Ji-Sung Park who is tackled well by Alan Smith.

42mins

Newcastle can take a breather as they win a free-kick.

41mins

Wayne Rooney tries to hit a shot on the turn but miskicks and it goes wide.

40mins

Michael Carrick's corner isn't dealt with by Newcastle and Nemanja Vidic just fails to make contact at the far post.

38mins

Manchester United have started to dominate possession in the last five minutes and the pressure is building.

36mins

Cristiano Ronaldo finds Michael Carrick who drills the ball too far forward and Steve Harper is able to gather.

35mins

Newcastle are able to clear the corner.

35mins

Cristiano Ronaldo whips in a shot which is deflected for a corner.

34mins

Newcastle are able to clear the corner but Darren Fletcher gets back to prevent the counterattack.

33mins

Steve Harper fists the ball away for another corner.

33mins

Patrice Evra and Dimitar Berbatov link up well and win another corner.

32mins

Edwin van der Sar flaps at the corner but his defenders manage to clear for a Newcastle throw-in.

31mins

Ryan Taylor's cross is deflected off Nemanja Vidic for a corner.

29mins

Jonas Gutierrez makes a great run down the right, beating a couple of defenders, but can't find a team-mate with his final ball.

27mins

Newcastle are causing Manchester United problems, particularly the pace of Obafemi Martins.

25mins

Jose Sanchez Enrique sends in a great cross but Peter Lovenkrands can't make the most of it and Manchester United can clear.

23mins

Manchester United appeal for a corner as Cristiano Ronaldo's effort hits a defender on the arm but the referee judges it to be ball to hand.

22mins

Newcastle need to keep the tempo up if they're to take something from this game.

20mins

Wayne Rooney equalises from just outside the area after exchanging passes with John O'Shea, his shot taking a deflection and flying past Steve Harper.

19mins

Ryan Taylor gets underneath the ball and his free-kick clears the wall and the bar.

18mins

Obafemi Martins is fouled by Nemanja Vidic on the edge of the area and Vidic is booked.

16mins

Cristiano Ronaldo's free-kick is straight into the wall and Wayne Rooney can only find Fabricio Coloccini with the rebound.

15mins

A corner falls to Wayne Rooney whose effort is well wide.

13mins

Newcastle break again and Peter Lovenkrands and Obafemi Martins exchange passes before Martins has a shot which is inches wide.

12mins

Wayne Rooney has a left-foot shot from over 20 yards out which is well held by Steve Harper.

11mins

The Newcastle crowd are in full voice now.

9mins

Newcastle break from the corner and Jonas Gutierrez's shot is palmed by Edwin van der Sar straight to Peter Lovenkrands who slots the ball home.

8mins

Cristiano Ronaldo hits a low shot which is deflected wide and the visitors have their first corner.

7mins

Manchester United defend the corner and try to break through Wayne Rooney but he gives the ball away.

6mins

Jonas Gutierrez wins Newcastle their first corner.

4mins

Another ball is played over the top to Wayne Rooney who is again offside.

3mins

Obafemi Martins has a right-foot shot from 25 yards out which goes well wide.

2mins

Jonas Gutierrez's cross into the area is cut out by Michael Carrick.

1mins

Newcastle get the game underway and Manchester United immediately attack only for Wayne Rooney to be flagged offside.

0mins

Alan Smith makes his first start of the season against his former club, while Wayne Rooney, Edwin van der Sar, Nemanja Vidic, Michael Carrick, Darren Fletcher, Park Ji-Sung and Dimitar Berbatov all return for the visitors.

Match Preview

Newcastle United face another tough test on Wednesday when they host newly-crowned Carling Cup winners Manchester United.

The Magpies handed the league leaders their only home draw in the Premier League this season when Kevin Keegan masterminded a 1-1 result back in August.

Much has changed since, not least the disappearance of Keegan and the moderate success Joe Kinnear enjoyed as manager before his illness left Chris Hughton and Colin Calderwood in joint charge.

Their record since Kinnear left to undergo a heart bypass operation reads one win, one draw and one loss, with the team not looking like an outfit that will threaten Sir Alex Ferguson's European champions.

Hughton and Calderwood are not helped by a lengthy injury list that still includes star striker Michael Owen (ankle), although fellow forwards Andy Carroll and Xisco could be back in contention.

A lack of options is likely to see the Magpies stick with the same team that were unfortunate to slip to a 1-0 defeat against Bolton Wanderers on Sunday.

"We gave a spirited performance and had better opportunities than Bolton," Hughton commented after the game.

The Magpies are likely to need more than spirit against United, who were out of sorts in the Carling Cup Final but still beat Tottenham 4-1 on penalties after a goalless draw at Wembley.

Ferguson appears determined not to let the team's various cup exploits affect their Premier League form, insisting they are more than ready to face Newcastle.

"The best thing we can do is gather ourselves and energise ourselves for Newcastle on Wednesday. I'll freshen it up in some positions and, hopefully, we'll get the result we want," the veteran Scot said after the cup win.

His changes are likely to involve the inclusion of Nemanja Vidic, Dimitar Berbatov, Ryan Giggs and Edwin Van der Sar, while Wayne Rooney and Gary Neville are ill and will only take part if they recover in time.

The likely absence of Rooney, who has a throat infection, will give Carlos Tevez another chance to join Berbatov in attack despite a disappointing Carling Cup Final performance.


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Match Report

Manchester United have reopened their seven-point lead at the top of the Premier League table after coming from behind to beat struggling Newcastle.

It now means the Old Trafford side can afford to lose three games and still hang on to their crown.

But they needed to fight back after trailing to an early Peter Lovenkrands goal that was cancelled out by the break by Wayne Rooney before Dimitar Berbatov grabbed the all important winner.

Newcastle started brightly enough and got off to a dream start following a howler from Edwin van der Sar.

The giant Dutch keeper has been masterful this season but it was his blunder that gift-wrapped Lovenkrands a second Newcastle goal and first at St James' Park.

Lovenkrands started the move on the edge of his own area by finding Obafemi Martins who played in Jonas Gutierrez.

The Argentine international then cut in from the left to hit a drive that the keeper spilled and Lovenkrands rammed in the rebound.

Martins then worked himself into an excellent position soon afterwards before he was cynically brought down by Nemanja Vidic who was yellow carded.

It was all square after 20 minutes with Rooney spraying the ball wide to John O'Shea, who powered forward to pick out the England striker and he drove over skipper Steve Harper, who should have done a lot better.

The game erupted on the stroke of half-time when Steven Taylor caught Cristiano Ronaldo with his fist and, in the fury that followed, he was cautioned as was Rio Ferdinand for protesting that the Newcastle defender should have been red carded.

The Ronaldo and Steven Taylor confrontation continued down the tunnel at the break with Ferdinand also involved.

Again Newcastle showed early qualities in the second half before pressing the self-destruct button on 56 minutes.

A deep ball into the box produced a woeful attempt from Ryan Taylor to play the ball back to Harper and Ji-Sung Park nipped in to tee up Berbatov for a simple goal.

Newcastle's last win over the Old Trafford side was when they edged a seven goal thriller in the 2001/02 season and since then United have won 12 of the last 15 encounters.

Berbatov and then Rooney both had chances to increase the United lead, while at the other end van der Sar pulled off a good save to deny Martins an equaliser and secure another win for Sir Alex Ferguson's side.

Newcastle United

Manchester United

Corners

310

Fouls

1010

Goal attempts

911

Shots off target

32

Offsides

16

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