HERNANDEZ (49)
NEWCASTLE UNITED 1
BA (63)
26 NOVEMBER 2011, OLD TRAFFORD ATTENDANCE: 75,594
A controversial penalty equaliser by Demba Ba denied Manchester United victory in a hotly-contested clash with high-flying Newcastle United as Javier Hernandez also had an injury-time effort ruled out for offside.
Rio Ferdinand's tackle on Hatem Ben Arfa in the 63rd minute looked a clean one but the assistant referee had other ideas and Mike Jones pointed to the spot. It cancelled out Javier Hernandez's opener, his first goal at Old Trafford this term, and the Tynesiders held out despite playing the final 12 minutes with 10 men when Jonas Gutierrez was sent off.
Sir Alex opted for experience in his starting XI with Ryan Giggs in central midfield alongside Michael Carrick and the Reds started quite promisingly with Hernandez having three early sights of goal. Unfortunately, the Mexican was unable to find a finishing touch after Wayne Rooney linked well with his strike partner.
Newcastle mustered a decent attempt of their own when Ben Arfa's scooped pass released Ba but the Magpies' top scorer's volley was comfortably saved by David De Gea. Ben Arfa needlessly berated Rooney, earning a yellow card, after the striker was penalised for a foul on Fabricio Coloccini but this was a rare first-half flashpoint as the teams tried to contend with the sweeping Manchester rain.
Another clear-cut opportunity did not arrive until the half-hour mark when Nani, who had switched flanks with Ashley Young, fed Hernandez with a slide-rule pass but the Mexcian striker fired over the top. United seemed to find some urgency as, seconds later, Giggs touched on a Fabio cross which was superbly dealt with by Krul, palming it away to safety with Hernandez lurking and hoping for to pounce on the rebound.
Nani and ex-Reds winger Gabriel Obertan traded shots over the top and the latter carried some threat as the half wore on, with Patrice Evra requiring the assistance of Nemanja Vidic in the middle to deal with one raid and then blocking a cross from his fellow countryman with his arm, although a penalty would have been extremely harsh.
The final attack of the first 45 minutes again carried plenty of potential but Hernandez made a hash of Young's pass by missing his kick, after Rooney was involved in the build-up, meaning the teams went in goalless at the break.
The Reds edged in front at the start of the second half after Hernandez was fouled by Steven Taylor. Rooney's free-kick hit the wall but he volleyed it back with his left foot and Steven Taylor's attempted clearance cannoned off Hernandez and into the net. It was a slice of luck but the Reds should have extended the lead soon afterwards when Fabio worked a clever one-two with Hernandez but hammered an inviting opportunity off target.
The Magpies were clinging on for dear life as Young fizzed a shot inches wide following fine play by Evra. However, Newcastle rallied and De Gea had to make a stunning save to keep out Fabricio Coloccini after the hosts were caught napping at a corner. The relief was only temporary, however, as Ferdinand's fine tackle on Ben Arfa led to the controversial penalty. Up stepped Ba to send De Gea the wrong way and level the scores - despite the champions' protests. The Reds' frustration with the officials grew, with the manager upset at one wrong call, and the bookings mounted for the Magpies as they resorted to some desperate tackles.
After Rooney had a shot off target, Young really should have restored the lead but, under pressure from Steven Taylor, was unable to convert Nani's excellent assist with the goal gaping. Gutierrez was shown a second yellow card for a rash challenge on Nani 12 minutes from time, which sparked an inevitable late onslaught from Sir Alex's team.
Krul stood firm with a brilliant, instinctive save to keep out Vidic's flying header and then tipped away Evra's left-footed effort. When the keeper was beaten, Young's low drive thudded back off a post and Simpson made an unbelievable goalline block to stop a Hernandez header. Substitute Federico Macheda could only nod a Giggs centre wide with the Reds laying siege to the opposing goal and Vidic was unable to scramble home a mis-hit shot by Ferdinand as Newcastle held out for a valiant point that left everybody of a Red persuasion totally frustrated - despite Hernandez tucking home a Giggs cross in the dying seconds. The flag went up, almost inevitably, and the chance of three points vanished.
source : Manutd
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