Match Report: Manchester United 1-1 Newcastle
The Premier League and European Champions suffered an eeriely similar fate as their last opening day fixture - being held to a home draw by less fancied competition.
Where last season's game was down to a credible defensive holding job by Reading, Newcastle comfortably stopped Manchester United taking the lead - and the injury list being increased would have done nothing to help the home fans optimism.
Already hampered by the loss of Carlos Tevez prior to kick off due to a family passing, United fans must have feared the worst to see a substitutes bench with no recognisable forward, and their fears would come to fruition. The first half started quite lively, as Magpies keeper was forced to make 3 super saves - first from a diving Fraizer Campbell header attempted from a sublime Wayne Rooney cross, and then from a low Rooney shot, from which Given parried a Scholes rebound. United had loud shouts for a penalty turned away when James Milner appeared to handle a third minute Ryan Giggs free kick.
Newcastle took the lead when Obafemi Martins expertly headed in a corner, but that lead lasted just 90 seconds as Darren Fletcher converted a magnificent Ryan Giggs pass to equalise. Giggs, on his 780th game, was by far the most imaginative United player on show and when he pulled up early in the second half, almost unable to use his left foot, any hopes of a home victory were more or less extinguished. The fear was compounded when in the 7 or 8 minutes he stayed on the pitch after, clearly uncomfortable and using only his right foot, he was clearly the main creative output. Indeed, it was a somewhat sad sight to see the Welshman hobbling about but head and shoulders above his team mates.
Giggs' injury followed the substitution of Michael Carrick, who went off after Fletcher's goal to be replaced by John O'Shea. Lacking half a first team of creative ability meant that a 1-1 result was only likely to be troubled by Newcastles energetic new signings - and although Vidic headed against the crossbar, and Rooney's last gasp freekick went past the post, there was a desperate sense of resignation amongst the home crowd. That Rafael, a right back, was introduced as an attacking hope for Fraizer Campbell with moments to go, was a telling story of the piece, and prompted flashbacks to John O'Shea's introduction as a striker in the Reading game of last season.
Once again United find themselves 2 points adrift of the rest of the "big 3" on the first day of the season with a daunting trip to Portsmouth, sure to apply themselves better after their comedic effort at Stamford Bridge, to follow. The collective absences of Ronaldo, Tevez, Anderson, Nani, Park, Saha, and the injuries to Giggs and Carrick will serve as rude awakenings to Red Devils - though with no improvement on the horizon, the Champions surely are already looking at a few months of catch up on their rivals.
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Source:(Yolkie)