NEWCASTLE EARNS A POINT, AND BELIEF

Don't let anyone, including Sir Alex Ferguson, talk you out of savoring the point Newcastle United wrenched out of Old Trafford on Saturday, or obscure what it meant.

Everyone is talking about how Newcastle's equalizer came on a non-penalty. Fewer are talking about how the goal it equalized came on a lucky carom. Or how the ref gifted Manchester United 16 minutes of 11-on-10 football on a garden-variety foul to make up for the earlier mistake. If Manchester United is what Manchester United is supposed to be, it has no trouble cashing that red card in for a winning goal and another or two for good measure.

But an era is flickering at Old Trafford. The rare instance of a call going against Manchester United on home ground isn't cause of that; it's proof of that. There was more than indignance in Sir Alex's voice during his sanitized post-match interview. The same goes for the screeching Man U fans in our local soccer pub, who reacted to the draw as if it were a last-minute defeat in a Champions League final. "Should we call 911?" asked a bemused friend, watching his first English soccer match.

Rage, rage against the dying of the light.

If Man U is no longer what Man U is supposed to be, the same must be said for Newcastle. Lay to rest any question about whether the table is a mirage. There's too much distance now between the country club and middle class of the league. And the stand Newcastle took against unthinkable odds as the clock wound down Saturday was too valiant for a pretender. Especially a pretender wearing a cursed shirt. Especially a pretender still taking the pitch with players new, missing and out of position. Especially a pretender with excuses to lose.

Here's a question I'd have liked to throw at Fergie: Would your 1-0 victory on a cheapie have been a just result?

We learned nothing against Manchester City. We learned everything against Manchester United. It's the morning after, I'm living in a country where almost no one recognizes the shirt, and I still can't take it off. Perhaps this is the naivete - or insanity - of a fan who wasn't born into the following. But the rational arguments against faith are disappearing fast. I'm a believer.

Comments

[Larry]

never mind that rooney pushed one of our players to ground after the referee got in his way. No penalty on him. That alone should have been a yellow if not a straight red.

But no one counts that, especially at old trafford. rooney is king and everyone is supposed to let him have his little tantrums whenever he wants.

Someone needs to give that spoilt brat just what he deserves, a nice sliding challenge by tiote would have done nicely had he been available. =)

HTL - Keep up the good work and grinding out those results.

[UTD111]

Excellent write-up

Hope you enjoyed being in the same pub as those Manure fans!

Here's my own write up!
http://www.n-u-t-z.net/27/11/2011/we-won-1-1/

[Ryan]

No matter what Alex or anyone else says, that was a hard fought, deserved draw. Newcastle continues to show heart, grit fight, and that, above all, we deserve where we are at on the table. I really think we have a great chance for 3 points this weekend. HWTL!

[Steve]

Excellent article. It is great to see my beloved Newcastle United has avid followers across the pond. I think over the last two games we have shown that our league position is certainly not a fluke and we still have Tiote to come back from injury yet. Fingers crossed things are looking good :-) .

[Rob Moyer]

I agree with the referee on the 2nd yellow for Jonas. It was a stupid challenge and he had no choice but to send him off. That said, no way was Hernandez fouled outside the box. That foul led to their goal.