Match report Newcastle vs Man Utd
thesun
WHEN Tom Cleverley was picked in an experimental England team two months ago he admitted this was the season he had to make his mark.
Cleverley knew, at the age of 23, if he did not prove he could cut it United would go out and buy and England would look elsewhere.
Just scrambling into the starting line-up was not enough, he had to be one of the men who affected the game, who was crucial to whether his side got the three points or not.
Now we are starting to see what Cleverley is all about and he certainly impressed watching England boss Roy Hodgson.
While the energetic Wayne Rooney buzzed up and down the field, Cleverley produced craft and guile in the central role and capped a quality performance with an astonishing goal.
HIGH 'N MIGHTY ... Jonny Evans rises to score the opener
United were already two up and cruising when in the 71st minute Cleverley whipped a looping ball in from wide on the left which sailed high over the stretching Steve Harper and dipped into the top corner.
Some thought it was a cross, including his boss Alex Ferguson, others that it was a shot.
But it did not matter. Cleverley was aiming to cause as much danger as possible and got his reward.
That wise old sage Frank Lampard has spoken about how youngsters like Cleverley have to chip in with goals to be the complete all-rounder.
If you dont have a go you cannot score the Chelsea midfielder argued and Cleverley has taken the advice on board.
EVANS ABOVE ... Jonny be good
He is tough, too, and survived being stamped on by Cheick Tiote though he was furious ref Howard Webb did not take action against the Toon enforcer.
Having lost the corresponding fixture 3-0 last season, the visitors wanted to get control quickly and they absolutely blitzed shell-shocked Newcastle.
They could have been five goals up inside the first 15 minutes rather than just the two.
After Danny Welbeck scuffed a good chance, which allowed Harper to save, Fergies men were ahead in the eighth minute.
Robin van Persies shot was kicked away at the near post by Harper and from the corner, the Dutch aces cross was met by the towering Jonny Evans who emphatically headed home.
You can talk about bad marking, but Evans must have got three-feet off the ground to meet the ball. It was quite a leap.
Right-back Rafael then fired a rasping strike across goal, which flashed just inches wide of the far post. And it was heart-in-mouth-time when Harper tried to dribble past Welbeck in his own area and lost the ball.
HEAD BOY ... Patrice Evra nods United's second
Harper thought about pulling the England striker down, but he got away only to shoot past an open goal.
Had Welbeck gone down, Harper would have been sent off no question about it.
Newcastle boss Alan Pardew was not happy with his team conceding from set-pieces and the second on 15 minutes was a shocker.
After Rooneys free-kick was saved by Harper, the same player took the corner and the smallest man on the pitch, Patrice Evra, ran from the edge of the box to head in at the near post.
United had lost their previous league game, at home to Spurs, but looked a much more confident outfit here.
PAT ON THE BACK ... Evra celebrates his goal
Though the Toon managed a decent amount of possession they did not put David De Gea under enough pressure, even though it was obvious he was struggling to cope with high balls into the area.
Had ref Webb been sharper-eyed Papiss Cisse could have got a penalty as he headed wide with Evra pulling his shirt.
And just after the break, Newcastle thought they had pulled one back after a Demba Ba header came back off the bar and Cisses header was clawed out by De Gea.
It was a stunning save by the Spanish keeper but even Ferguson admitted the ball had crossed the line and it was a goal.
CONTROVERSY ... Newcastle claim Papiss Cisse's header crossed the line
Cleverley shot over and Harper saved from Rooney before Hatem Ben Arfa went close for Newcastle with a 20-yarder which left De Gea rooted to the spot. Try as they might, Pardews side just could not get back into it and Cleverley finished them off with that amazing cross-come shot.
Harper just stared into space and looked round his defence as if to say what could we do about that
There was still time for Van Persie to flatten Yohan Cabaye with an elbow, which was not spotted by Webb.
WHO'S A CLEVER BOY ... Tom celebrates his strike
Goodness knows why Van Persie did it.
He might have got away with it on the day but, with so many cameras at games these days, the FA will come looking for him if the official confirms he missed the incident.
It was a nonsensical challenge especially as his team already had victory in the bag.
If Van Persie gets a three-game ban, the striker has no one to blame but himself.
DREAM TEAM
SUN STAR MAN WAYNE ROONEY (MAN UNITED)
NEWCASTLE: Harper 5, Santon 6, Perch 6, Williamson 6, Ferguson 6 (Anita 6), Ben Arfa 6, Tiote 4 (Bigirimana 6), Cabaye 5, Gutierrez 5, Cisse 5 (Sh Ameobi 6), Ba 6. Subs not used: Alnwick, Simpson, Obertan, Sammy Ameobi. Booked: Tiote, Gutierrez, Perch, Bigirimana.
MAN UTD: De Gea 6, Rafael 7, Ferdinand 7, Evans 7, Evra 7, Cleverley 8, Carrick 8, Welbeck 6, Rooney 9 (Scholes 6), Kagawa 6 (Valencia 6), Van Persie 7 (Giggs 6). Subs not used: Lindegaard, Anderson, Hernandez, Wootton. Booked: Kagawa, Ferdinand, Van Persie, Scholes.
REF: H Webb 5
Cleverley knew, at the age of 23, if he did not prove he could cut it United would go out and buy and England would look elsewhere.
Just scrambling into the starting line-up was not enough, he had to be one of the men who affected the game, who was crucial to whether his side got the three points or not.
Now we are starting to see what Cleverley is all about and he certainly impressed watching England boss Roy Hodgson.
While the energetic Wayne Rooney buzzed up and down the field, Cleverley produced craft and guile in the central role and capped a quality performance with an astonishing goal.
HIGH 'N MIGHTY ... Jonny Evans rises to score the opener
United were already two up and cruising when in the 71st minute Cleverley whipped a looping ball in from wide on the left which sailed high over the stretching Steve Harper and dipped into the top corner.
Some thought it was a cross, including his boss Alex Ferguson, others that it was a shot.
But it did not matter. Cleverley was aiming to cause as much danger as possible and got his reward.
That wise old sage Frank Lampard has spoken about how youngsters like Cleverley have to chip in with goals to be the complete all-rounder.
If you dont have a go you cannot score the Chelsea midfielder argued and Cleverley has taken the advice on board.
EVANS ABOVE ... Jonny be good
He is tough, too, and survived being stamped on by Cheick Tiote though he was furious ref Howard Webb did not take action against the Toon enforcer.
Having lost the corresponding fixture 3-0 last season, the visitors wanted to get control quickly and they absolutely blitzed shell-shocked Newcastle.
They could have been five goals up inside the first 15 minutes rather than just the two.
After Danny Welbeck scuffed a good chance, which allowed Harper to save, Fergies men were ahead in the eighth minute.
Robin van Persies shot was kicked away at the near post by Harper and from the corner, the Dutch aces cross was met by the towering Jonny Evans who emphatically headed home.
You can talk about bad marking, but Evans must have got three-feet off the ground to meet the ball. It was quite a leap.
Right-back Rafael then fired a rasping strike across goal, which flashed just inches wide of the far post. And it was heart-in-mouth-time when Harper tried to dribble past Welbeck in his own area and lost the ball.
HEAD BOY ... Patrice Evra nods United's second
Harper thought about pulling the England striker down, but he got away only to shoot past an open goal.
Had Welbeck gone down, Harper would have been sent off no question about it.
Newcastle boss Alan Pardew was not happy with his team conceding from set-pieces and the second on 15 minutes was a shocker.
After Rooneys free-kick was saved by Harper, the same player took the corner and the smallest man on the pitch, Patrice Evra, ran from the edge of the box to head in at the near post.
United had lost their previous league game, at home to Spurs, but looked a much more confident outfit here.
PAT ON THE BACK ... Evra celebrates his goal
Though the Toon managed a decent amount of possession they did not put David De Gea under enough pressure, even though it was obvious he was struggling to cope with high balls into the area.
Had ref Webb been sharper-eyed Papiss Cisse could have got a penalty as he headed wide with Evra pulling his shirt.
And just after the break, Newcastle thought they had pulled one back after a Demba Ba header came back off the bar and Cisses header was clawed out by De Gea.
It was a stunning save by the Spanish keeper but even Ferguson admitted the ball had crossed the line and it was a goal.
CONTROVERSY ... Newcastle claim Papiss Cisse's header crossed the line
Cleverley shot over and Harper saved from Rooney before Hatem Ben Arfa went close for Newcastle with a 20-yarder which left De Gea rooted to the spot. Try as they might, Pardews side just could not get back into it and Cleverley finished them off with that amazing cross-come shot.
Harper just stared into space and looked round his defence as if to say what could we do about that
There was still time for Van Persie to flatten Yohan Cabaye with an elbow, which was not spotted by Webb.
WHO'S A CLEVER BOY ... Tom celebrates his strike
Goodness knows why Van Persie did it.
He might have got away with it on the day but, with so many cameras at games these days, the FA will come looking for him if the official confirms he missed the incident.
It was a nonsensical challenge especially as his team already had victory in the bag.
If Van Persie gets a three-game ban, the striker has no one to blame but himself.
DREAM TEAM
SUN STAR MAN WAYNE ROONEY (MAN UNITED)
NEWCASTLE: Harper 5, Santon 6, Perch 6, Williamson 6, Ferguson 6 (Anita 6), Ben Arfa 6, Tiote 4 (Bigirimana 6), Cabaye 5, Gutierrez 5, Cisse 5 (Sh Ameobi 6), Ba 6. Subs not used: Alnwick, Simpson, Obertan, Sammy Ameobi. Booked: Tiote, Gutierrez, Perch, Bigirimana.
MAN UTD: De Gea 6, Rafael 7, Ferdinand 7, Evans 7, Evra 7, Cleverley 8, Carrick 8, Welbeck 6, Rooney 9 (Scholes 6), Kagawa 6 (Valencia 6), Van Persie 7 (Giggs 6). Subs not used: Lindegaard, Anderson, Hernandez, Wootton. Booked: Kagawa, Ferdinand, Van Persie, Scholes.
REF: H Webb 5
