King Cole ready to take Shearer's England shirt as Magpies outclassed

Former Newcastle striker Cole, who hit four goals in Manchester United's 5-1 thrashing of the Magpies here last season, put the game beyond Bobby Robson's side yesterday with a cool 69th-minute finish.

It was Cole's ninth goal in 11 appearances against his old club since he was controversially sold by then-Newcastle boss Kevin Keegan in a £7m deal over five-and-a-half years ago.

And it was a sharp reminder to England coach Keegan, who overlooked Cole for Euro 2000 because of misgivings about his fitness, that he is a contender to replace Shearer as the country's No 9.

Newcastle skipper Shearer quit international football after the summer debacle in the Low Countries and the Geordie talisman, who has never scored a League goal at Old Trafford, was out of luck once more as the champions began the defence of their title with an ultimately comfortable victory in front of a record Premiership crowd of 67,477 at a further revamped Theatre of Dreams.

When it comes to facing the host club, this is no happy hunting ground for the Magpies, either.

They may have won successive FA Cup semi-finals here against Sheffield United and Tottenham in 1998 and '99.

But it's 28-and-a-half years since Newcastle won at Old Trafford against the Red Devils and they were soon struggling in their bid to end that wretched run when Norwegian defender Ronny Johnsen headed the home side in front in the 20th minute.

Keeper Shay Given laid a glove on the ball, but had it not been for the brilliance of the Republic of Ireland international, this defeat could have mirrored last season's massacre.

Kieron Dyer, whose much-publicised summer revelry in Cyprus landed him in Newcastle boss Robson's bad books, had to settle for a place on the bench at the start.

Robson has ordered the 21-year-old England starlet to stay off alcohol and clean up his act if he wants to realise his huge potential.

Also among the Newcastle substitutes was Peruvian Nolberto Solano, who only returned from a gruelling schedule of international duty late on Friday.

Sir Alex Ferguson received the Carling Manager of the Year award before kick-off, in recognition of him leading Manchester United to their sixth Premiership title in eight seasons.

The Reds are chasing an unprecedented three straight Premiership crowns and their only summer signing, France goalkeeper Fabien Barthez, decided from the off that it was route one for glory.

Barthez, a £7.8m capture from Monaco, cleared upfield inside the first minute and the bounce took opposite number Given by surprise, forcing him to stretch to take the ball cleanly.

But Newcastle, with an adventurous three-pronged attack of Shearer, Carl Cort and Argentinian Daniel Cordone, showed plenty of early industry and invention.

All three front-runners figured in a well-worked fourth-minute move which began when £7m Cort laid the ball off for Warren Barton. The right-back then fed Shearer, whose attempted shot on the turn was blocked by the vigilant Jaap Stam.

But the danger wasn't cleared and when the ball came to Cordone, the Argentinian's angled shot brought a low save from Barthez.

A minute later, Cordone was on the end of things again when he latched on to Gary Speed's knockdown but blazed over.

The home side responded in the 14th minute when Teddy Sheringham swept the ball out to Cole who advanced on goal before firing wide of the angle.

Nevertheless, it was just the spur they needed and when David Beckham delivered a trademark corner from the right in the 19th minute, Given had to make a magnificent reaction save to tip over Stam's stunning header.

But when Beckham swung over the resultant flag-kick from the other flank, Stam's defensive sidekick Johnsen connected with a glancing header which Given could only help into the roof of the net.

As the Reds' attacking endeavours gathered in intensity, Sheringham shot into the side-netting after being set up by Cole, who had seized on Robert Lee's loose ball to leave Given stranded.

Newcastle then enjoyed an escape when Frenchman Alain Goma left Ryan Giggs in a heap in the penalty area, but referee Stephen Lodge was unmoved.

Giggs took out his frustrations with a stinging left-foot volley, on the end of Paul Scholes' right-wing cross, which smacked against the base of Given's near post.

Sheringham and skipper Roy Keane both sent efforts whistling wide before Goma became the first Newcastle player booked this season for a foul on Beckham in the 44th minute.

The siege continued right up to the interval, Given having to claw away a typical Scholes screamer.

It was a case of 1968 and all that during the half-time break as the three most famous members of the Reds' first European Cup-winning side, Sir Bobby Charlton, George Best and Denis Law, were presented to the crowd along with the Portuguese legend who was on the losing side on that unforgettable Wembley occasion - former Benfica star Eusebio.

Robson had no time for such heady reminiscing as he grappled with the problem of how to get his side back into the game.

He elected to bring on schemer Dyer in place of defender Goma, but it was Speed who immediately took up the challenge with a thumping 30-yarder which was held by Barthez.

More was asked of Given in the 54th minute when Cole played the ball out to Beckham, who forced a superlative one-handed save from the keeper.

Lee's shot extended Barthez before Given had to make a desperate save at his right-hand post when Nikos Dabizas - sent off here last season - directed a header towards his own goal from Beckham's right-wing cross.

Then a Giggs centre from the left was headed wide by Cole as Newcastle looked for an offside flag which was never waved.

Dyer carved out a chance for Cordone with a ball in from the left which the pony-tailed attacker brought under control before curling a right-foot shot that Barthez could only save at the second attempt.

But a minute later Cole, who had just probed Given's defences again, added the Reds' second.

Giggs was the provider and Cole slipped the ball beyond the exposed keeper