Durkin ensures honours even

The first saw Alan Shearer's penalty claims after he was caught by Tim Howard waved away by the Dorset official, the second a Manchester United goal harshly ruled out for a foul by scorer Mikael Silvestre.

The penalty that never was and the goal that never was summed up a game where neither side really deserved to lose.

Magpies manager Sir Bobby Robson will be by far the happier of the two chiefs, with Sir Alex Ferguson left to rue a performance that was under-par by the champions' high standards.

With a combined age of 132, experience wasn't in short supply on the touchline yesterday.

The two managers indulged in a pre-match love-in on Friday, both hailing the merits of the other.

Mind games it certainly wasn't with Ferguson clearly an admirer of Robson's longevity in the game - an inspiration even to the Scot.

Robson revealed he had urged the Manchester United boss to stay put when it appeared retirement was imminent.

Ferguson heeded his fellow knight's advice, and yesterday he picked up his umpteenth manager of the month award before kick off.

Paul Scholes picked up the Barclaycard Premiership player of the month prize as Newcastle looked to end a 32-year wait for a win at Old Trafford.

In a tactical shuffle Robson surprised many watchers by replacing Titus Bramble with Andy O'Brien.

The former Ipswich centre-back had apparently suffered a bang in training last Wednesday and Robson was in no mood to take any risks against Man. United.

The players spoke of having no fear and no inferiority complex about visiting the Theatre of Dreams and started like they wanted to prove that.

Newcastle's first threat came in the fourth minuted when Nolberto Solano threaded a ball through to Kieron Dyer racing into the box but the England man was unable to control the ball.

On nine minutes Scholes had his first sight of goal but his effort sailed over after he was set up in the box by good work from Ryan Giggs.

The best chance of the opening quarter hour arrived on 14 minutes when John O'Shea fed Kleberson. The Brazilian - a target last season for Newcastle - sent a clever dink into the box but it was just too strong for Ruud van Nistelrooy, whose effort flew over.

Shearer was in the wars a minute later when a stray elbow from Phil Neville left the Newcastle skipper needing treatment.

But he was back in the thick of things soon after earning a free-kick 25 yards out which Laurent Robert fired wide.

On 22 minutes Giggs sprang the offside trap but Kleberson, on the end of his left wing cross, was unable to direct his effort on target.

Newcastle quickly hit back with Shearer's downward header from Robert's teasing cross just evading both Dyer and Solano.

The two teams appeared to be cancelling each other out before the game came to life with Shearer again at the centre of affairs.

A stray back pass fom Gary Neville was pounced upon by the former England striker who appeared to be clipped by Tim Howard.

Referee Paul Durkin had a perfect view of the incident and waved away a furious Shearer, and the whole Newcastle team's, claims for a penalty.

Closer inspection revealed the American did make contact but Shearer appeared to delay his fall for a split-second, long enough to put doubt into the referee's mind.

The end-to-end nature of the game continued and after 38 minutes Gary Neville fouled Robert whose free-kick was headed behind for the game's first corner.

Newcastle kept the pressure on and Andy O'Brien caught the flailing arms of Howard for his second crack on the face of the afternoon.

It was 44 minutes before the game saw its first shot on target with van Nistelrooy's tame effort from outside the box failing to trouble Shay Given.

Soon after, the game's second arrived, when Giggs was on the end of Kleberson's cross but his header was straight at Given.

Again Newcastle hit back and Solano's snapshot from just outside the box wasn't too far away.

The second half began with Gary Neville in the book for a cynical trip on Dyer and that apeared to liven up the home side.

O'Brien came to the rescue on 55 minutes stealing the ball off Scholes' toe as he was just about to pull the trigger.

Newcastle, however, were far from ready to cave in and came back with their best effort of the game.

Robert's pinpoint corner was met by Jenas whose powerful header crashed off the crossbar and was cleared to safety.

A mix-up on 63 minutes almost saw the home side go in front, but a combination of desperate defence and accomplished work from O'Brien and Aaron Hughes saw van Nistelrooy's efforts in the box come to nought.

The Magpies were now under real pressure and were thankful to their vice-captain Gary Speed who cleared substitute Diego Forlan's cross into the six-yard box.

On 66 minutes the home side did have the ball in the net for the second big moment of the game.

As Silvestre celebrated, referee Durkin was already signalling for a foul by the Frenchman on O'Brien.

By the home side's standards the arguments were fairly muted.

Soon after, Scholes was testing Given's reflexes with a 25-yarder before Newcastle began creating their own problems.

A poor pass from Speed went straight to Forlan, but the Uruguayan's shot was comfortably held by Given.

A siege mentality appeared to hit Newcastle's strategy and they were defending too deeply and relying on pace alone to trouble Man. United's back four.

However, they were still threatening and a quick break from Dyer and Robert was snuffed out by Ferdinand, who was again at his best a moment later to stop Dyer.

With time running down Robson replaced Solano with Darren Ambrose, the Peruvian leaving to a standing ovation from the away following.

A firm handshake from Robson was the midfielder's reward for 82 minutes of committed endeavour.

But the Magpies' endeavour continued up to the final whistle to claim their first point at Old Trafford since 1998.

Result : Manchester United 0 Newcastle United 0.

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