2008/9 Newcastle 1 Manchester United 2
NEWCASTLE: Harper, Steven Taylor, Coloccini, Bassong, Jose Enrique, Lovenkrands, Ryan Taylor (Carroll 77), Geremi, Gutierrez, Martins, Smith (LuaLua 82). Subs Not Used: Krul, Cacapa, Butt, Ameobi, Edgar.
MAN UTD: Van der Sar, O'Shea, Ferdinand, Vidic, Evra, Ronaldo, Fletcher, Carrick, Park, Berbatov (Giggs 90), Rooney. Subs Not Used: Foster, Anderson, Scholes, Evans, Tevez, Eckersley.
Att: 51,636
Dimitar Berbatov fired Manchester United seven points clear at the top of the Barclays Premier League despite lowly Newcastle spoiling Edwin van der Sar's night.
The Bulgarian clinched the points with a 56th-minute strike, but United had to come from behind to re-establish their advantage over Chelsea and Liverpool with a game in hand.
There was jubilation on Tyneside when, with just nine minutes gone, Peter Lovenkrands ended Van der Sar's record of not having conceded a league goal since November 8 after 1,311 minutes after the keeper failed to cling on to Jonas Gutierrez's shot.
But it took the visitors just 11 minutes to restore parity through Wayne Rooney, and Berbatov ensured United's run of successive league wins stretched to 11 after Park Ji-Sung pounced on an error by Ryan Taylor.
As Sir Alex Ferguson's bandwagon rumbled on ominously, opposite number Chris Hughton was at least able to console himself with a spirited performance in front of an appreciative crowd of 51,636, although that will count for little if it is not transformed into points over the coming weeks.
Such have been the contrasting fortunes of the two clubs this season since they drew 1-1 at Old Trafford during the opening round of fixtures in August, that the talk before kick-off was not of if United would win, but by how many.
But with just nine minutes gone, it was Newcastle who took the lead against all odds as Van der Sar's run without conceding a Premier League goal came to an end in ignominious circumstances.
The Dutchman failed to hold Jonas' shot as it leapt up off the sodden turf and Lovenkrands stabbed the rebound home before casting an anxious glance at referee Steve Bennett's assistant and only then beginning his celebrations.
St James' Park erupted as fans who had arrived fearing a repeat of Liverpool's 5-1 demolition job at the end of December - United won on Tyneside by the same scoreline last season - dared to believe their side could emerge with something to show for their efforts.
It might have been 2-0 within four minutes when Obafemi Martins fired inches wide under pressure from Rio Ferdinand, with the Nigerian also forcing a good 31st-minute block from the England defender after Van der Sar had failed to deal with a Ryan Taylor corner.
However, by that point, United had made the most of their greater share of the possession to get themselves back on level terms in fine style.
Rooney, back in the side after recovering from a virus, turned superbly past Fabricio Coloccini on to John O'Shea's pass and blasted a left-foot shot past Steve Harper with the help of a deflection off Steven Taylor, although the defender's contribution was largely irrelevant.
United continued to enjoy the greater share of the ball and defender Nemanja Vidic header over with the goal at his mercy after the home defence had failed to deal with a 39th-minute Michael Carrick corner.
But the Magpies continued to threaten with Martins and Jonas causing problems.
Mr Bennett had to deal with an ugly incident in injury time when Steven Taylor caught Cristiano Ronaldo with a flailing arm and then careered into Carrick on the sideline, sparking a furious response from skipper Ferdinand.
After consulting his assistant, the referee booked Taylor, and Ferdinand followed him as he continued his protests following the half-time whistle.
A feisty affair continued in the same vein after the break with Vidic accusing Martins of catching him with an elbow as the pair jumped for a high ball.
Van de Sar had to race from his line to prevent Lovenkrands from latching on to a 52nd-minute through-ball, but when the second goal did arrive, it did so predictably at the other end.
Ryan Taylor slipped as he attempted to chest a deep ball back to Harper and Park got there first to square for Berbatov, who calmly slotted it into the empty net.
Newcastle were visibly deflated by the reverse as United once again assumed control, and they might have increased their lead as they powered their way towards the final whistle.
Harper had to save from Ronaldo and Berbatov in quick succession as time ran down, and then dived bravely at the Portugal international's feet after he had slipped away from Steven Taylor.
But Newcastle made one last push and it was Van der Sar who finished the busier of the two keepers as he kept out first Lovenkrands and then Martins, although without any great difficulty.
NEWCASTLE v MAN UTD - THE HISTORY:
2010/2011 Mon 16 Aug Man. Utd. 3 - 0 Newcastle Utd. Premier League
2008/2009 Wed 04 Mar Newcastle Utd. 1 - 2 Man. Utd. Premier League
Sun 17 Aug Man. Utd. 1 - 1 Newcastle Utd. Premier League
2007/2008 Sat 23 Feb Newcastle Utd. 1 - 5 Man. Utd. Premier League
Sat 12 Jan Man. Utd. 6 - 0 Newcastle Utd. Premier League
2006/2007 Mon 01 Jan Newcastle Utd. 2 - 2 Man. Utd. Premiership
Sun 01 Oct Man. Utd. 2 - 0 Newcastle Utd. Premiership
2005/2006 Sun 12 Mar Man. Utd. 2 - 0 Newcastle Utd. Premiership
Sun 28 Aug Newcastle Utd. 0 - 2 Man. Utd. Premiership
2004/2005 Sun 24 Apr Man. Utd. 2 - 1 Newcastle Utd. Premiership
Sun 17 Apr Newcastle Utd. 1 - 4 Man. Utd. F.A. Cup
played at Millennium Stadium, Cardiff
Sun 14 Nov Newcastle Utd. 1 - 3 Man. Utd. Premiership
2003/2004 Sun 11 Jan Man. Utd. 0 - 0 Newcastle Utd. Premiership
Sat 23 Aug Newcastle Utd. 1 - 2 Man. Utd. Premiership
2002/2003 Sat 12 Apr Newcastle Utd. 2 - 6 Man. Utd. Premiership
Sat 23 Nov Man. Utd. 5 - 3 Newcastle Utd. Premiership
2001/2002 Wed 02 Jan Man. Utd. 3 - 1 Newcastle Utd. Premiership
Sat 15 Sep Newcastle Utd. 4 - 3 Man. Utd. Premiership
2000/2001 Sat 30 Dec Newcastle Utd. 1 - 1 Man. Utd. Premiership
Sun 20 Aug Man. Utd. 2 - 0 Newcastle Utd. Premiership
1999/2000 Sat 12 Feb Newcastle Utd. 3 - 0 Man. Utd. Premiership
Mon 30 Aug Man. Utd. 5 - 1 Newcastle Utd. Premiership
1998/1999 Sat 22 May Man. Utd. 2 - 0 Newcastle Utd. F.A. Cup
played at Wembley
Sat 13 Mar Newcastle Utd. 1 - 2 Man. Utd. Premiership
Sun 08 Nov Man. Utd. 0 - 0 Newcastle Utd. Premiership
1997/1998 Sat 18 Apr Man. Utd. 1 - 1 Newcastle Utd. Premiership
Sun 21 Dec Newcastle Utd. 0 - 1 Man. Utd. Premiership
1996/1997 Thu 08 May Man. Utd. 0 - 0 Newcastle Utd. Premiership
Sun 20 Oct Newcastle Utd. 5 - 0 Man. Utd. Premiership
Sun 11 Aug Man. Utd. 4 - 0 Newcastle Utd. Charity Shield
played at Wembley
1995/1996 Mon 04 Mar Newcastle Utd. 0 - 1 Man. Utd. Premiership
Wed 27 Dec Man. Utd. 2 - 0 Newcastle Utd. Premiership
1994/1995 Sun 15 Jan Newcastle Utd. 1 - 1 Man. Utd. Premiership
Sat 29 Oct Man. Utd. 2 - 0 Newcastle Utd. Premiership
Wed 26 Oct Newcastle Utd. 2 - 0 Man. Utd. League Cup
1993/1994 Sat 11 Dec Newcastle Utd. 1 - 1 Man. Utd. Premiership
Sat 21 Aug Man. Utd. 1 - 1 Newcastle Utd. Premiership
1989/1990 Sun 18 Feb Newcastle Utd. 2 - 3 Man. Utd. F.A. Cup
1988/1989 Sat 13 May Man. Utd. 2 - 0 Newcastle Utd. First Division
Sun 27 Nov Newcastle Utd. 0 - 0 Man. Utd. First Division
1987/1988 Sat 26 Dec Newcastle Utd. 1 - 0 Man. Utd. First Division
Sat 12 Sep Man. Utd. 2 - 2 Newcastle Utd. First Division
1986/1987 Sat 18 Apr Newcastle Utd. 2 - 1 Man. Utd. First Division
Thu 01 Jan Man. Utd. 4 - 1 Newcastle Utd. First Division
1985/1986 Wed 16 Apr Newcastle Utd. 2 - 4 Man. Utd. First Division
Wed 04 Sep Man. Utd. 3 - 0 Newcastle Utd. First Division
1984/1985 Sat 09 Feb Newcastle Utd. 1 - 1 Man. Utd. First Division
Sat 08 Sep Man. Utd. 5 - 0 Newcastle Utd. First Division
1977/1978 Sat 11 Mar Newcastle Utd. 2 - 2 Man. Utd. First Division
Sat 15 Oct Man. Utd. 3 - 2 Newcastle Utd. First Division
1976/1977 Sat 19 Feb Man. Utd. 3 - 1 Newcastle Utd. First Division
Wed 27 Oct Man. Utd. 7 - 2 Newcastle Utd. League Cup
Sat 11 Sep Newcastle Utd. 2 - 2 Man. Utd. First Division
1975/1976 Sat 20 Mar Newcastle Utd. 3 - 4 Man. Utd. First Division
Sat 29 Nov Man. Utd. 1 - 0 Newcastle Utd. First Division
1973/1974 Sat 13 Apr Man. Utd. 1 - 0 Newcastle Utd. First Division
Sat 17 Nov Newcastle Utd. 3 - 2 Man. Utd. First Division
1972/1973 Sat 17 Mar Man. Utd. 2 - 1 Newcastle Utd. First Division
Sat 21 Oct Newcastle Utd. 2 - 1 Man. Utd. First Division
1971/1972 Sat 12 Feb Man. Utd. 0 - 2 Newcastle Utd. First Division
Sat 23 Oct Newcastle Utd. 0 - 1 Man. Utd. First Division
1970/1971 Sat 27 Feb Man. Utd. 1 - 0 Newcastle Utd. First Division
Sat 31 Oct Newcastle Utd. 1 - 0 Man. Utd. First Division
1969/1970 Sat 04 Apr Newcastle Utd. 5 - 1 Man. Utd. First Division
Wed 27 Aug Man. Utd. 0 - 0 Newcastle Utd. First Division
1968/1969 Sat 12 Apr Newcastle Utd. 2 - 0 Man. Utd. First Division
Sat 21 Sep Man. Utd. 3 - 1 Newcastle Utd. First Division
1967/1968 Sat 04 May Man. Utd. 6 - 0 Newcastle Utd. First Division
Sat 09 Dec Newcastle Utd. 2 - 2 Man. Utd. First Division
1966/1967 Sat 11 Mar Newcastle Utd. 0 - 0 Man. Utd. First Division
Sat 03 Sep Man. Utd. 3 - 2 Newcastle Utd. First Division
1965/1966 Wed 15 Sep Man. Utd. 1 - 1 Newcastle Utd. First Division
Wed 08 Sep Newcastle Utd. 1 - 2 Man. Utd. First Division
1960/1961 Sat 11 Mar Newcastle Utd. 1 - 1 Man. Utd. First Division
Sat 22 Oct Man. Utd. 3 - 2 Newcastle Utd. First Division
1959/1960 Sat 02 Jan Newcastle Utd. 7 - 3 Man. Utd. First Division
Sat 29 Aug Man. Utd. 3 - 2 Newcastle Utd. First Division
1958/1959 Sat 31 Jan Man. Utd. 4 - 4 Newcastle Utd. First Division
Sat 13 Sep Newcastle Utd. 1 - 1 Man. Utd. First Division
1957/1958 Wed 23 Apr Man. Utd. 1 - 1 Newcastle Utd. First Division
Sat 23 Nov Newcastle Utd. 1 - 2 Man. Utd. First Division
1956/1957 Sat 12 Jan Man. Utd. 6 - 1 Newcastle Utd. First Division
Sat 08 Sep Newcastle Utd. 1 - 1 Man. Utd. First Division
1955/1956 Mon 02 Apr Newcastle Utd. 0 - 0 Man. Utd. First Division
Fri 30 Mar Man. Utd. 5 - 2 Newcastle Utd. First Division
1954/1955 Mon 18 Apr Newcastle Utd. 2 - 0 Man. Utd. First Division
Sat 23 Oct Man. Utd. 2 - 2 Newcastle Utd. First Division
1953/1954 Sat 02 Jan Newcastle Utd. 1 - 2 Man. Utd. First Division
Sat 29 Aug Man. Utd. 1 - 1 Newcastle Utd. First Division
1952/1953 Sat 11 Apr Newcastle Utd. 1 - 2 Man. Utd. First Division
Sat 22 Nov Man. Utd. 2 - 2 Newcastle Utd. First Division
Wed 24 Sep Man. Utd. 4 - 2 Newcastle Utd. Charity Shield
played at Old Trafford
1951/1952 Sat 22 Dec Newcastle Utd. 2 - 2 Man. Utd. First Division
Sat 25 Aug Man. Utd. 2 - 1 Newcastle Utd. First Division
1950/1951 Sat 21 Apr Newcastle Utd. 0 - 2 Man. Utd. First Division
Sat 02 Dec Man. Utd. 1 - 2 Newcastle Utd. First Division
1949/1950 Sat 22 Apr Newcastle Utd. 2 - 1 Man. Utd. First Division
Sat 03 Dec Man. Utd. 1 - 1 Newcastle Utd. First Division
1948/1949 Sat 30 Apr Newcastle Utd. 0 - 1 Man. Utd. First Division
Sat 04 Dec Man. Utd. 1 - 1 Newcastle Utd. First Division
1937/1938 Sat 01 Jan Newcastle Utd. 2 - 2 Man. Utd. Second Division
Sat 28 Aug Man. Utd. 3 - 0 Newcastle Utd. Second Division
1935/1936 Sat 18 Jan Man. Utd. 3 - 1 Newcastle Utd. Second Division
Sat 14 Sep Newcastle Utd. 0 - 2 Man. Utd. Second Division
1934/1935 Sat 02 Mar Man. Utd. 0 - 1 Newcastle Utd. Second Division
Sat 20 Oct Newcastle Utd. 0 - 1 Man. Utd. Second Division
1930/1931 Sat 17 Jan Newcastle Utd. 4 - 3 Man. Utd. First Division
Sat 13 Sep Man. Utd. 4 - 7 Newcastle Utd. First Division
1929/1930 Sat 28 Dec Man. Utd. 5 - 0 Newcastle Utd. First Division
Sat 31 Aug Newcastle Utd. 4 - 1 Man. Utd. First Division
1928/1929 Sat 09 Feb Newcastle Utd. 5 - 0 Man. Utd. First Division
Sat 29 Sep Man. Utd. 5 - 0 Newcastle Utd. First Division
1927/1928 Sat 21 Jan Newcastle Utd. 4 - 1 Man. Utd. First Division
Sat 10 Sep Man. Utd. 1 - 7 Newcastle Utd. First Division
1926/1927 Wed 09 Feb Man. Utd. 3 - 1 Newcastle Utd. First Division
Sat 11 Sep Newcastle Utd. 4 - 2 Man. Utd. First Division
1925/1926 Wed 14 Apr Newcastle Utd. 4 - 1 Man. Utd. First Division
Sat 10 Oct Man. Utd. 2 - 1 Newcastle Utd. First Division
1921/1922 Sat 14 Jan Man. Utd. 0 - 1 Newcastle Utd. First Division
Sat 31 Dec Newcastle Utd. 3 - 0 Man. Utd. First Division
1920/1921 Sat 01 Jan Newcastle Utd. 6 - 3 Man. Utd. First Division
Sat 18 Dec Man. Utd. 2 - 0 Newcastle Utd. First Division
1919/1920 Sat 27 Dec Newcastle Utd. 2 - 1 Man. Utd. First Division
Sat 20 Dec Man. Utd. 2 - 1 Newcastle Utd. First Division
1914/1915 Sat 03 Apr Newcastle Utd. 2 - 0 Man. Utd. First Division
Sat 28 Nov Man. Utd. 1 - 0 Newcastle Utd. First Division
1913/1914 Sat 28 Feb Man. Utd. 2 - 2 Newcastle Utd. First Division
Sat 25 Oct Newcastle Utd. 0 - 1 Man. Utd. First Division
1912/1913 Sat 19 Apr Man. Utd. 3 - 0 Newcastle Utd. First Division
Sat 14 Dec Newcastle Utd. 1 - 3 Man. Utd. First Division
1911/1912 Sat 06 Apr Man. Utd. 0 - 2 Newcastle Utd. First Division
Sat 02 Dec Newcastle Utd. 2 - 3 Man. Utd. First Division
1910/1911 Sat 18 Feb Newcastle Utd. 0 - 1 Man. Utd. First Division
Sat 15 Oct Man. Utd. 2 - 0 Newcastle Utd. First Division
1909/1910 Sat 12 Feb Newcastle Utd. 3 - 4 Man. Utd. First Division
Sat 02 Oct Man. Utd. 1 - 1 Newcastle Utd. First Division
1908/1909 Sat 27 Mar Man. Utd. 1 - 0 Newcastle Utd. F.A. Cup
played at Bramall Lane
Sat 26 Dec Man. Utd. 1 - 0 Newcastle Utd. First Division
Fri 25 Dec Newcastle Utd. 2 - 1 Man. Utd. First Division
1907/1908 Sat 08 Feb Man. Utd. 1 - 1 Newcastle Utd. First Division
Sat 12 Oct Newcastle Utd. 1 - 6 Man. Utd. First Division
1906/1907 Sat 02 Feb Newcastle Utd. 5 - 0 Man. Utd. First Division
Sat 22 Dec Man. Utd. 1 - 3 Newcastle Utd. First Division
1897/1898 Sat 13 Nov Newton Heath 0 - 1 Newcastle Utd. Second Division
Sat 09 Oct Newcastle Utd. 2 - 0 Newton Heath Second Division
1896/1897 Fri 01 Jan Newcastle Utd. 2 - 0 Newton Heath Second Division
Sat 26 Sep Newton Heath 4 - 0 Newcastle Utd. Second Division
1895/1896 Sat 26 Oct Newcastle Utd. 2 - 1 Newton Heath Second Division
Sat 19 Oct Newton Heath 2 - 1 Newcastle Utd. Second Division
1894/1895 Sat 13 Apr Newcastle Utd. 3 - 0 Newton Heath Second Division
Sat 06 Apr Newton Heath 5 - 1 Newcastle Utd. Second Division