Newcastle create history by winning at Old Trafford

NEWCASTLE UNITED ended more than four decades of Old Trafford hurt as they recorded their first win at the home of Manchester United since 1972.

Not a single member of the Magpies squad had been born when John Tudor and Stewart Barrowclough scored in a 2-0 win in the 1971-72 season, and Alan Pardew was a ten-year-old schoolboy.

However, Yohan Cabaye's second-half strike rewrote the history books and piled more misery on under-fire Manchester United boss David Moyes, whose side have now suffered two home defeats in the space of four days.

Newcastle deserved their success, with Mike Williamson and Mathieu Debuchy superb in defence, and Cabaye and Cheik Tiote dominant in midfield.

They created the better chances all afternoon, and while Robin van Persie had a second-half header disallowed for offside, the visitors were able to see out their success with a surprising amount of ease.

The win takes Newcastle back up to sixth position ahead of this afternoon's games, and will be celebrated long into the night by the 3,000 travelling supporters who roared themselves hoarse in the away end.

Pardew made one change to the side that lost at Swansea on Wednesday, with Vurnon Anita returning to bolster the midfield and Shola Ameobi dropping down to the bench.

Manchester United also suffered a defeat on Wednesday night – at home to Everton – and David Moyes' side betrayed plenty of early nerves.

This is a Man United side in transition, and whereas there was previously an aura of invincibility about the team in red at Old Trafford, this time around, Newcastle clearly fancied their chances from the off.

They snapped into a succession of early challenges, with Cheik Tiote in particular setting the tone and proving that the Magpies would not be cowed.

Phil Jones drilled a ninth-minute shot straight at Tim Krul, and Fabricio Coloccini did well to block a goalbound effort from Tom Cleverley shortly after, but the visitors survived the early stages with precious few scares.

Admittedly, much of that was down to the continued good form of Mike Williamson, with the centre-half winning a succession of important headers as the ball was delivered into the box.

Newcastle's first effort came in the 18th minute, with Loic Remy heading wide at the near post after Moussa Sissoko' crossed from the right, and while Alan Pardew's side struggled to create clear goalscoring opportunities before the break, they were more than a match for their opponents in terms of possession.

They were furious with Javier Hernandez when the Mexican dived over Coloccini's leg looking for a penalty four minutes before the break, and while referee Andre Marriner rightly waved away appeals for a spot-kick, he should have at least booked the Manchester United striker.

There were four minutes of stoppage time at the end of the first half, and Mathieu Debuchy might have scored twice as Newcastle enjoyed their most productive spell of the game.

First, Remy released the full-back behind a dawdling Patrice Evra with an excellent through ball, but Debuchy could only direct his shot straight at David De Gea.

Then, after Davide Santon crossed from the left, Debuchy stole ahead of his marker to head towards goal. Again, though, De Gea was equal to the effort.

Krul wasn't really tested at all in the first half, but the Dutchman was forced into action within seven minutes of the restart, and was up to the task.

Evra's long ball released Hernandez into the area, and while the striker drilled in a crisp low shot, Krul kept the ball out with his legs.

There was a renewed sense of purpose about Manchester United at the start of the second half, and Newcastle were fortunate to avoid having a penalty awarded against them ten minutes after the restart.

Evra's header from Adnan Januzaj's corner struck the post, and as the ball was coming back out, it struck Vurnon Anita on the arm as the midfielder guarded the upright. It would have been a harsh penalty award, but had Marriner pointed to the spot, Anita would almost certainly have been dismissed.

It looked a crucial incident at the time, and six minutes later, its importance was reinforced as Newcastle claimed the lead.

Sissoko beat Evra down the right-hand side, and intelligently picked out Cabaye with a pull back into the area. The Frenchman's side-footed effort was probably going in away, but a deflection off Nemanja Vidic gave De Gea no chance at all. Cue pandemonium in the away end housing 3,000-or-so Newcastle supporters.

Manchester United had the ball in the net themselves with 18 minutes left, but Robin van Persie's headed effort was rightly disallowed for offside.

The Dutchman strayed beyond the last man as Phil Jones flicked on Januzaj's free-kick, and assistant referee Sian Massey deserves a great deal of credit for correctly raising her flag.

MAN UTD (4-4-2): De Gea; Rafael (Valencia 76), Vidic, Evans, Evra; Nani (Zaha 68), Jones, Cleverley (Anderson 69), Januzaj; Hernandez, van Persie.

Subs (not used): Lindegaard (gk), Ferdinand, Young, Welbeck.

NEWCASTLE (4-5-1): Krul; Debuchy (Yanga-Mbiwa 82), Williamson, Coloccini, Santon; Sissoko, Tiote, Cabaye (Shola Ameobi 78), Anita, Gouffran (Ben Arfa 57); Remy.

Subs (not used): Elliot (gk), Gutierrez, Obertan, Cisse.