THREE straight home defeats in eight days, four losses in the last four domestic games, and a drop down the table to tenth spot in the Premiership.

The wheels may not have come off Graeme Souness's reign in charge at Newcastle but they'e certainly starting to wobble.

The Scot can point to a controversial penalty decision by referee Mike Dean that halted his side's revival in its tracks, but Sir Alex Ferguson's side were well worth their win.

The battle of Scottish wits at St James' Park yesterday was won hands down by the more senior manager and, Alan Shearer's goal aside, Newcastle struggled to create anything after the break.

It was the Red Devils third win on the trot at St James Park and Souness's insistence in sacrificing width for his three striker policy is making his side far too predictable.

After Shearer had cancelled out Wayne Rooney's early opener all hell broke loose as the away side were awarded a penalty with a quarter hour remaining.

Firstly the home side appealed for push by Wayne Rooney on Andy O'Brien and, as Shay Given attempted to wrestle possession from Paul Scholes, the former England midfielder appeared to use his arm to control the ball.

The Newcastle players were livid at the decision and their indignation earned bookings for Ronnie Johnsen and Titus Bramble.

Van Nistelrooy stepped up and made it 2-1 and then Rooney grabbed his second in injury-time after Bramble had cleared van Nistelrooy's effort off the line.

Newcastle's last win against Man United was the 4-3 thriller back in September 2001, and Ferguson's side had no intention of seeing that change.

Souness decided the Bramble -Johnsen axis in central defence that performed admirably against Chelsea in midweek would serve him well against the FA Cup holders.

With Stephen Carr fit again, O'Brien made way as Souness continued to search for his first-choice defensive line-up.

But strengthening at the back will be the 51-year-old Scot's priority in January - the latest linked to a move to St James Park is Juventus centre-back Igor Tudor.

Nicky Butt decided it would take more than a bout of concusson to stop him from lining up against his former team-mates, and the only surprise in the Manchester United line up was Ferguson's decision to play ScottiSh youngster Darren Fletcher - Ryan Giggs, who confirmed at the weekend that he had rejected the offer of a new contract at Old Trafford, forced to the bench.

But van Nisterlrroy was back after his three-game suspension making his 100th Premiership start for the Red Devils.

Newcastle almost got off to a dream start with just three minutes on the clock. A quick break saw Shearer feed Craig Bellamy only for the Welshman to be hacked down by Gabriel Heinze 30 yards out.

Shearer placed the free-kick and cracked an effort that swerved viciously in front Roy Carroll who was happy to deflect the effort wide of goal with his body.

Souness's continued insistence on playing three strikers almost paid dividends soon after.

Shearer the provider this time - his cross expertly chested into the path of Patrick Kluivert by Bellamy and the Holland international was only just of target with a first-time volley.

Unfortunately the frailties in the Magpies defence didn't take long to materialise with Rooney the man to capitalise in the seventh minute.

Fletcher was the provider with a cross from the right that found the ever dangerous England striker who fired home unmarked from ten yards. Yet again Newcastle were found guilty and punished for criminal defending.

And it could have been two on the quarter hour as Rooney's crossfield ball produced a slip from Carr that let in Ronaldo.

The winger turned Bramble inside out and only the feet of Shay Given saved the Magpies from going two down.

The slip by Newcastle's full-back inflamed his knee injury and he was replaced by O'Brien in the 18th minute.

Souness's normal seat in the stands next to chairman Freddy Shepherd was soon vacated as the younger of the two Scottish managers on show decided a more hands-on role was required.

The manager wanted to see his midfield force the Red Devils' duo of Paul Scholes and Roy Keane on to the back foot.

Easier said than done but with Butt and Lee Bowyer now snapping into challenges, Newcastle began to pressurise the away side's rearguard.

Just after the half hour two chances were created - the second for Shearer gilt-edged.

Firstly Bramble went on a marauding run through the visitors defence and picked out Shearer whose lay off for Kluivert was fired wide by the Dutchman.

Then a long punt forward by Given produced a bad mistake from Mikael Silvestre and then an even worse error from Rio Ferdinand who completely missed the ball to allow the Newcastle skipper in.

The ball dropped beautifully on the volley for Shearer who was inside the box and 12 yards out but his effort flew just wide of Carroll's left-hand post.

Man United hit back and Bramble was guilty of ball watching in the 41st minute, allowing van Nistelrooy space in the box when Heinze played the ball inside from the left.

The striker took a touch and fired low and hard but thankfully for Newcastle into the side netting.

The Magpies continued to create chances and were almost gifted an equaliser by Rooney. His back pass on 42 minutes was straight to Kluivert who slipped the ball past Carroll but couldn't hit the target from a tight angle.

As half-time approached Bowyer broke into the opposition box and forced Silvestre into a last-ditch tackle as the former Leeds man was about to pull the trigger.

Souness resisted the temptation to tinker at half-time instead sending back his starting XI to turn the game around.

A lack of width was apparent and when Laurent Robert began to warm up he received a generous round of applause from the home fans. But after Fletcher had spurned a golden to chance to seal the game Souness did make a change - replacing Bowyer with Kieron Dyer in the 54th minute.

Confusion reigned in the home side's midfield and the roar when when Robert was introduced for the ineffective Kluivert just after the hour was considerable.

Unfortunately 'get paint on your shoes' was apparently not the instruction given to the Frenchman who spent the next ten minutes tucking inside.

The visitors were now more than happy to cling on to their one-goal advantage with Newcastle failing to put their lead under any real threat.

When all seemed just about lost cometh the emergency, cometh the man the Manchester United fans love to hate.

Substitute Wes Brown was muscled out of it by Shearer in the 71st minute and when he cut inside everything opened up for the skipper.

The challenge he was waiting for never materialised and when he reached the penalty area Carroll came out and he simply rolled the ball left-footed past him.

The comeback was short-lived and Van Nistelrooy marked his Premiership century of starts with his 71st goal from the penalty spot in the 74th minute.

And to rub salt into the wounds Rooney wrapped it up with a third in injury time. Johnsen let the ball drop, substitute Alan Smith headed it back in and after Bramble cleared off the line from Van Nistelrooy, the 19-year-old delivered the coup de grace.

Result: Newcastle United 1 Manchester United 3.

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