Historic

There were many positive things in the 3-0 victory of Newcastle United over Manchester United last night, not least in the intrinsic aspect of beating any opponent. But of that, more later. This is historic (not least because it has been so long).  The crowning statistics are: this is the first win for the Magpies over the Old Trafford outfit for more than a decade – that a 4-3 triumph just days after September 11th where Roy Keane was excoriated for getting sent off when everyone still felt so raw; that this is the first clean sheet win and biggest scoreline win since 2000; not since 1996 have Newcastle Utd beat Man Utd on Tynseide, when a Man Utd player has not been sent off in the course of a game; it’s also the first time since before I can remember that the United of Newcastle have taken four points off Man Utd in a season. Going unbeaten against them in the calendar year of 2011 was satisfying but this is joyous.


Then there was the game itself. Another goal for Demba Ba, signing off in style in the Premier League before journeying to the African Cup of Nations (held jointly by the kleptocratic dictatorships of Equatorial Guinea and Gabon, incidentally). Thank goodness no retrospective action was taken against Yohan Cabaye after his awful challenge in the last match as, wind or no wind, that free-kicked ball was always going in. And then, to compound the humiliation, an own goal by Phil Jones. The red half of Manchester were not at their best but Newcastle played their part in shackling them, so that there was no backlash after the embarrassment Sir Alex Ferguson suffered on his 70th birthday, with his side losing at home to basement club Blackburn Rovers.

This was an important victory in terms of the season as well. It puts the Toon three points further away from the chasing pack below, notably Stoke City in eighth place. While Newcastle are now only four points away from a Champions League spot, a best of the rest seventh place and possible Europa League entrance would represent progression, at least on the pitch. While time waits for no club, with Tottenham Hotspur not applauding Manchester City to the title but going for it themselves and that Chelsea, Arsenal and Liverpool will be stronger next season, looking down on the rest will be most enjoyable.