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Electronic Telegraph


Monday 22 December 1997
Issue 942


Cole has the last word in Newcastle title ambitions
By Henry Winter at St James' Park


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                Newcastle (0) 0 Man Utd (0) 1
                
                THE sounds of derision rained down on Andy Cole at St
                James' Park last night, real invective directed at a man
                Newcastle fans once lauded to the heavens. But all the
                taunts, all the abuse spilling from the Gallowgate must
                have been music to Cole's ears. It confirmed that he had
                scored, that he had finally severed Newcastle's lingering
                interest in the championship and that his United side
                were moving inexorably towards a fourth title in five
                years, writes Henry Winter.
          
          Cole's goal, the only one of a match that jitterbugged
          between the disjointed and the electrifying, arrived in the
          66th-minute from a classic United counter, the cobra uncoiling
          in familiarly deadly fashion. Then, as the game drew to a tense
          climax, an incensed member of the Gallowgate jumped the railing
          and attempted to get at Cole. Steve Watson, not for the first
          time, anticipated the run and the angered fan was escorted
          away.
          
          This unsightly scene stood in stark contrast to last year's
          meeting, that famous 5-0 Newcastle win, when a fan knelt in
          worship of Kevin Keegan. Things are very different now. Kenny
          Dalglish's Newcastle stay ninth, 17 points behind yesterday's
          conquerors, and even the most one-eyed Toon supporter must
          acknowledge any hope of honours rests in cup combat.
          
          Cole coolly highlighted Newcastle's most obvious flaw, one
          chillingly reflected in a goal difference of minus two to
          United's plus 32. Alan Shearer cannot return quickly enough.
          And yet, for all the disappointment, this was an uplifting
          display by Newcastle, full of commitment encapsulated in the
          muscular endeavour of Stuart Pearce and David Batty.
          
          A draw would certainly not have flattered Dalglish's side, who
          were thwarted primarily by the agility of Peter Schmeichel as
          well as the precision of Cole. If championships are built on
          1-0 victories and good goalkeepers, then United are rolling
          into the New Year in irresistible condition.
          
          Newcastle must wait another season, another year in which their
          youngsters will mature that bit more, another period in which
          Shearer will surely deserve some respite from the shadow of
          injury, another 12 months in which the club must free more
          significant sums for transfer activity.
          
          How the fans deserve reward. Hymns of hope had reverberated
          through this famous old ground before kick-off, the crowd
          whipped up into an almighty fervour by memories of last year
          and the possibility, eventually dashed, of tripping United up.
          The cheap seats - if these exist in this greedy era - kept up
          the decibel level. Even those in the priviliged positions, like
          Tony Blair, must have been caught up in the sheer occasion.
          
          "Today Newcastle take on the team who are at No 1 - And we all
          know who are at No 1," cried St James' DJ, promptly playing the
          Teletubbies' Christmas ditty. It carried a hollow ring: the
          footballing team at No 1, Alex Ferguson's champions, now lead
          the Premiership by four points and are picking up results, as
          Liverpool once did, without playing spectacularly well.
          
          They were often on the back foot yesterday against a Newcastle
          team running on adrenalin and the fans' ardour. The first half
          was too fast, too frenetic. Certain players rose above the
          storm. Faustino Asprilla offered a threat whenever the ball
          came close to those quick and clever feet. John Barnes, too,
          showed that touch can occasionally prevail amid the 100mph
          maelstrom that makes English football so exciting and flawed.
          For United, Paul Scholes, returning after suspension, kept it
          calm and neat. Yet, at times, this cultured triumvirate
          resembled men trying to cross a motorway.
          
          Such speed suited Batty, who hustled and bustled, harried and
          carried, forming an excellent central-midfield bulwark with
          John Beres- ford.
          
          Behind them stood Pearce, organising and exhorting, showing the
          hunger level required in a real ding-dong duel with Cole.
          
          Initially well-received but then increasingly regaled with
          "reject" and worse, Cole found that every yard of space, every
          gulp of air was contested by Pearce. Age withers some but
          clearly not Pearce, not yet anyway. Such commitment coursed
          through all Newcastle's players, though it sometimes blurred
          their judgment.
          
          Minutes after Philip Neville had escaped censure for catching
          Keith Gillespie, the Newcastle winger attempted to tattoo the
          ankles of his former team-mate. So much for the close-knit
          family theory.
          
          Newcastle's industry was admirable. But a 10th-minute cameo
          embodied their problems. Good work by Barnes allowed Alessandro
          Pistone to race away, the Italian immediately lifting in a
          cross which flew across the Gallowgate, across Schmeichel's
          goal but over the head of Beresford, not the most obvious of
          target-men. Newcastle were sweating, supporting each other
          diligently, but the finish lay up with Shearer in the Sky
          studio.
          
          Chances came and went, like glimpses of sun amid the darkening
          clouds. Avoiding a seven-man wall ranged like the Alps with
          Scholes and Pallister forming foothills and peaks, Pearce
          struck a free-kick low and hard but too close to Schmeichel.
          
          After 24 minutes of massed huffing and puffing, the game saw
          Schmeichel make the first of his remarkable saves. When
          Pearce's cross dropped towards the far post, Barnes rose
          athletically, meeting the ball with a firm downward header. The
          Gallowgate rose in salute as the ball arrowed towards the net.
          Then, throwing that frame across goal like a cat chasing a fly,
          Schmeichel stretched out one of those large paws to claw the
          ball to safety.
          
          A reminder of United's threat came just before the interval
          when Cole, cleverly sent through by Giggs, brought an excellent
          smothering stop from Shaka Hislop. Asprilla could have scored
          twice for Newcastle but then United struck.
          
          From the wreckage of a Newcastle attack, the champions slipped
          into overdrive, pouring into the spaces vacated by hosts
          momentarily hypnotised by their own chance of glory. The ball
          pinged from Philip Neville to Beckham, whose cross curled on to
          the head of Cole and the rest was hysteria.
          
          The champions showed their class for 15 minutes. Giggs brought
          matching stops from Hislop while Scholes, arriving late, shot
          over. But then Schmeichel had to leap to his left to deny
          Pearce what seemed a certain headed goal.
          
          As the pitch cut up, so did a few tempers, and Batty was
          deservedly booked for clattering into Gary Neville. As wave
          after black-and-white wave flooded forward, Newcastle's energy
          and expectations foundered on a rock called Gary Pallister.
          Asprilla did wriggle through, chasing Batty's pass, but lofted
          the ball over. It summed up Newcastle's fortunes. United march
          on.
          __________________________________________________________
          
          Newcastle (0) 0 Man Utd (0) 1
          Cole 66.
          Newcastle: Hislop, Watson, Beresford (Ketsbaia 75), Peacock,
          Pearce, Pistone, Albert (Barton 33), Batty, Barnes, Gillespie,
          Asprilla. Subs Not Used: Given, Rush, Tomasson. Booked:
          Gillespie, Pistone, Batty, Peacock.

          Man Utd: Schmeichel, G. Neville, Johnsen, P. Neville,
          Pallister, Beckham, Butt, Giggs, Scholes (Solskjaer 72), Cole,
          Sheringham (McClair 83). Subs Not Used: Berg, Pilkington,
          Curtis. Booked: Butt, P. Neville, Cole.

          Att: 36,767
          Ref: P Jones (Loughborough).
          __________________________________________________________

          Ferguson grateful for a 'lucky' victory
          By Nicholas Spencer 
          
          ANDY COLE'S first goal at St James' Park since November 1994
          gave Manchester United a lucky victory, according to Alex
          Ferguson, who believes his side actually played better while
          being thrashed here last year.
          
          "We made 15 chances last season and ended up losing five bloody
          nil," said the United manager. "It was a careless performance
          in the second half - continually giving the ball away - and if
          it hadn't been for Gary Pallister and Peter Schmeichel we would
          have been beaten.
          
          "Newcastle were unfortunate and you can't put our victory down
          to anything other than a great goal. When you can produce a
          cross like David Beckham's and a header like Andy Cole's you
          have to say that we were always a threat."
          
          Cole's header, at the end of a six-man move which began in the
          Manchester penalty area, opens a 17-point advantage for United
          over the team who finished second behind them in the
          Premiership for the past two seasons.
          
          Ferguson was almost lost for words to describe Schmeichel,
          whose spectacular left-handed saves kept out powerful and
          perfectly-placed headers from John Barnes and Stuart Pearce.
          "The first was excellent, the second unbelievable," he said.
          
          Schmeichel's brilliance meant a third successive game without a
          goal for Newcastle at St James' Park, leaving them 150-1
          outsiders for the title. "You could have us each way," said
          their manager, Kenny Dalglish, who agreed with the brilliance
          of Schmeichel but described Loughborough referee Peter Jones as
          "the worst person on the pitch."
          
          A booking for Alessandro Pistone - one of seven - for a
          challenge on Beckham irked Dalglish most. "He went down holding
          his head, yet the foot was nowhere near his head."
          
          There were words of support for Dalglish from the Prime
          Minister, Tony Blair, who watched the game with Irish premier
          Bertie Aherne. Mr Blair felt that Dalglish's men had been
          unlucky: "He has the basis of a very good side. We're missing
          Alan Shearer but we still had good chances and Peter Schmeichel
          made two excellent saves.
          
          "Alex Ferguson has built one of the great sides of the century
          and Manchester United are pretty awesome, even when they aren't
          playing well."
          
          Each team lost a player to suspension under the totting-up
          process. Newcastle's David Batty and Manchester United's Phil
          Neville will both miss two games, starting with their clubs' FA
          Cup third-round ties.
          __________________________________________________________

Sunday December 21 1:21 PM EDT

Cole celebrates victorious return to Newcastle

By Mitch Phillips

LONDON, Dec 21 (Reuters) - Andy Cole shrugged off the jeers of the fans
who used to adore him to give Manchester United a 1-0 English premier
league victory at Newcastle on Sunday.

Cole, who left St James' Park in a 7 million pounds ($11.7 million) deal
almost three years ago, headed the only goal of the game in the 67th
minute to restore the champions' four point lead at the top of the league.

But just as important was the display of goalkeeper Peter Schmeichel, who
made two brilliant saves to foil a generally disappointing Newcastle. 

United now have 43 points and are clear of Blackburn, who beat West Ham
3-0 on Saturday. A further point back are Chelsea, who won 4-1 at
Sheffield Wednesday.

Newcastle won this fixture 5-0 last season but never looked likely to
repeat that incredible scoreline in the absence of Alan Shearer.

John Barnes, one of the men drafted in by Kenny Dalglish to replace the
England striker, went close in the first half, only for Schmeichel to make
a great stop from his header.

The goal came with a typically sharp United break. Stuart Pearce sent a
poorly-struck free-kick into the United box and when the ball was cleared,
United poured forward.

With the home defenders struggling to get back, David Beckham swung over a
cross from the right and Cole, unmarked six metres from goal, planted his
header firmly past Shaka Hislop.

The Newcastle keeper came to his side's rescue soon after with a sharp
save from Ryan Giggs but it was Schmeichel who caught the eye with another
full stretch dive to tip away a powerful Pearce header.

In injury time Faustino Asprilla had a wonderful chance to save the game
for Newcastle but lifted his lob way over the bar.

Newcastle have now gone five games without a win and trail United by 18
points but Dalglish was happy with his team's performance. 

``I think we more than matched them and if we had been a bit more
fortunate we could have got at least a draw,'' he said.

``The level of performance for us was very good but it is something we
have to sustain.''

United boss Alex Ferguson described the result as ``three points we didn't
really deserve.

``Without Peter Schmeichel and Gary Pallister I think we would have been
beaten. We can do a lot better than that.''
          __________________________________________________________

   December 22 1997 FOOTBALL
   
   Champions ride luck on way to undeserved victory
   Cole extinguishes Newcastle
   
   NEWCASTLE UNITED 0 MANCHESTER UNITED 1
   
   By Oliver Holt, football correspondent
   
   SOMEHOW, now that he is scoring freely again, Andy Cole has become the
   personification of everything that Newcastle United have lost.
   Yesterday, barracked and abused by the supporters who once worshipped
   him, battered and bruised by the players he once ran with, the
   Manchester United striker gave St James' Park a cruel reminder of past
   glories when he condemned the home side to a morale-sapping defeat
   they hardly deserved.
   
   Denied twice by world-class saves from Peter Schmeichel, Newcastle had
   more than countered the threat of their visitors until they were
   undone by Cole's powerful and accurate header midway through the
   second half. It was the first goal he had scored at the Geordie shrine
   since November 1994, a couple of months before Kevin Keegan shocked
   Tyneside by selling him to United for £7 million.
   
   The goal, Cole's sixteenth of the season, was the final confirmation
   of his recovery of the predatory form that made him such a cult hero
   in the North East. It began to erase the memory of the 5-0 drubbing
   United suffered there last season and took the champions four points
   clear of the chasing pack at the top of the FA Carling Premiership,
   apparent proof of the old adage that the team that wins the title is
   the one that picks up points even when they do not merit them.
   
   "I think we were very lucky today," Alex Ferguson, the United manager,
   said. "If it had not been for Gary Pallister and Peter Schmeichel, we
   would have been beaten. It was a careless performance. We were
   continually giving the ball away and Newcastle were very unfortunate.
   We played better when we lost 5-0."
   
   Kenny Dalglish, the Newcastle manager, was delighted with the
   commitment his team had shown, but said his enjoyment of the game had
   been spoilt by the antics of the United players. He singled out David
   Beckham for play-acting and getting Alessandro Pistone booked for an
   apparent kick to the United midfielder's face. "It was nowhere near
   his face," Dalglish said, "and that is not fair is it? It might
   improve his looks I suppose. The pictures do not lie, though, and if
   someone has done that, it will just have to be on their conscience."
   
   There were seven bookings in a game that was bad-tempered at times but
   never really sank into genuine unpleasantness. It was atavistic,
   certainly, and Pearce and Batty, in particular, strove like men
   possessed, aggressive and unyielding, to try to humble the team that
   are now 17 points clear of them in the race for the championship.
   
   Keith Gillespie, too, seemed intent on making United pay for selling
   him to Newcastle as part of the deal that took Cole the other way, and
   his early runs, coupled with the industry and control of Batty at the
   heart of midfield, left United looking as uncomfortable as they have
   at any time since Derby County ran them ragged for a 20-minute period
   at Pride Park earlier this season.
   
   When John Barnes, a player not renowned for his tackles, dispossessed
   Nicky Butt, someone who is justly famous for his, midway through the
   first half, it was the clearest indication possible that this was a
   Newcastle side itching to prove its mettle. After 24 minutes, they
   seemed to have taken the lead when Barnes guided a cross from Pearce
   inside Schmeichel's post but the United goalkeeper somehow flung
   himself to his left and clawed the header away.
   
   The first half was relentless. Every free kick was taken quickly,
   every tackle was full-blooded, every Newcastle attack was roared on by
   thousands of frantic voices. United weathered it all, though.
   Pallister was superb at the centre of defence, the rock on which the
   invention of Asprilla and Barnes always foundered.
   
   Gradually, Newcastle began to allow United back into the game. Hislop
   saved well from Cole after the United striker had escaped from Pearce
   for the first time and then Giggs struck a fierce right-foot volley
   that dipped just over the crossbar.
   
   The second half continued in the same vein, Newcastle pressing but
   hindered by lack of attacking firepower, United attempting what
   counter-attacks they could. Their goal came from one in the 68th
   minute. Giggs broke out from a Newcastle corner and slipped the ball
   to Phil Neville, who passed it to Scholes. Scholes laid it out to
   Beckham on the right wing and his cross eluded Barton and found Cole
   at the back post. His header, across Hislop, nestled in the bottom
   left-hand corner of the net.
   
   United could have put the game out of reach two minutes later, but
   Hislop blocked Giggs's low shot with his knee. Scholes had another
   chance to seal victory but he sidefooted a cross from Giggs just over
   the bar. In the eightieth minute, Schmeichel repeated his heroics when
   he hurled himself through the air to turn a bullet header from Pearce
   round the post.
   
   In the dying seconds, Asprilla wasted his team's best opportunity when
   he ran on to Batty's volleyed pass but lobbed his shot over Schmeichel
   and the crossbar. He held his head in his hands and, when the final
   whistle went, the United players rushed to congratulate Schmeichel.
   "His first save was in the excellent category," Ferguson said
   afterwards. "The second was unbelievable."
   
   NEWCASTLE UNITED (3-5-1-1): S Hislop - D Peacock, S Pearce, P Albert
   (sub: W Barton, 34min) - S Watson, K Gillespie, D Batty, J Beresford
   (sub: T Ketsbaia, 75), A Pistone - J Barnes - F Asprilla.
   
   MANCHESTER UNITED (4-4-2): P Schmeichel - G Neville, G Pallister, R
   Johnsen, P Neville - D Beckham, N Butt, P Scholes (sub: O G Solskjaer,
   72), R Giggs - E Sheringham (sub: B McClair, 84), A Cole.
   
   Referee: P Jones.
   
   Copyright 1997 The Times Newspapers Limited. 

          __________________________________________________________

DALGLISH BLAST FOR BECKHAM

   By Martin Lipton, PA Sport Chief Soccer Writer
   
   Furious Kenny Dalglish angrily accused golden boy David Beckham of
   feigning injury to get Alessandro Pistone booked after Andy Cole's
   first St James' goal in three years put Manchester United four points
   clear of the pack.
   
   England ace Beckham went down clutching his face after being caught by
   a raised boot from the Italian, who was one of seven players cautioned
   by referee Peter Jones.
   
   But television replays showed Pistone's raised boot had caught Beckham
   no higher than his chest, and Dalglish raged: "That's not fair.
   
   "Pistone's foot was high but Beckham went and held his face, even
   though he was nowhere near it.
   
   "If he had been hit in the face that would've been fine, but he
   didn't. The pictures don't lie. He shouldn't have held his face.
   
   "You've got to look at the referee - he was the worst man on the
   pitch. But the players have the opportunity to avoid getting fellow
   professionals booked.
   
   "We can lie in our beds and sleep tonight. We didn't try to get
   anybody in trouble. If somebody does that, it's up to their
   conscience."
   
   Dalglish said that United chief Alex Ferguson agreed with him about
   the poor performance of the Loughborough-based official, although the
   Old Trafford boss demurred.
   
   "I don't know why he's upset," said Ferguson. "The referee was very
   good for Newcastle. Everybody's entitled to a bad game."
   
   But Ferguson was less than happy with his own team, despite the win
   that buried the memory of last season's 5-0 drubbing.
   
   "We played better last season when we lost, much better," claimed
   Ferguson. "We made 15 chances and lost 5-0.
   
   "That's why we had the plan today - don't play well, don't make any
   chances and win 1-0!
   
   "We were very lucky, and if it hadn't been for Peter Schmeichel and
   Gary Pallister we would've been beaten.
   
   "It was a careless performance. We continually gave the ball away and
   Newcastle were very unfortunate. We can play a lot better than that."
   
   The moment that proved the difference between the teams was Cole's
   16th of the season in the 67th minute, an emphatic header past Shaka
   Hislop from Beckham's right-wing centre.
   
   "It was a fantastic goal, and when you know you can see a cross and
   header like that then you're always a threat," said Ferguson.
   
   Ferguson was once again talking admiringly of his great Dane, after
   Schmeichel's flying leaps to foil John Barnes and Stuart Pearce.
   
   "Peter was fantastic, phenomenal," he said. "The save from Barnes was
   excellent, the one from Pearce unbelievable."
   
   And Dalglish did for once agree with his long-term managerial nemesis
   on that.
   
   "They were a couple of magnificent saves - but if you're good enough
   you've always got a chance of saving them.
   
   "I said before the game that United were the best side in the league,
   and nothing I saw today has made me change my mind.
   
   "But we more than matched them, and with a little bit of fortune we'd
   have come away with a point.
   
   "That's the level of performance we're looking for - now we've got to
   ensure we keep it there for the rest of the season."
   
   © PA Sporting Life
          __________________________________________________________

                    Newcastle v Man United 21/12/97 4.00
                                      
Newcastle               (0) 0 Man United              (0) 1 FT
                              Cole 66

   Andy Cole returned in triumph to torture the fans who once idolised
   him and give Alex Ferguson the revenge he wanted for last season's
   Magpie mauling.
   
   Kevin Keegan had famously gone out onto the steps outside St James' to
   explain his reasons for allowing the striker to go to Old Trafford in
   January 1995 after `Cole the goal' had scored 68 goals in 84
   appearances in black and white.
   
   For many months the Toon Army has begun to believe Keegan got the
   better of the deal after all, taking every opportunity to taunt their
   erstwhile hero, even in his absence from the 5-0 thrashing last term.
   
   But it was Cole who had the last laugh as he scored his first goal at
   St James' since netting against Ipswich in a 1-1 draw on November 26
   1994 to move the champions back four points clear at Christmas.
   
   Three years had been a long wait for Cole to make the sort of return
   he had dreamed of, although 15 goals this term - including 13 in his
   last 12 games - proved he was in the mood.
   
   And he showed that to deadly effect mid-way through the second half of
   a passionate afternoon.
   
   When David Beckham picked up possession on the United right, Cole
   sensed the moment had come as he peeled away off Darren Peacock.
   
   The delivery was perfect, and so was the response from the Old
   Trafford hit-man, the firmest of headers back across Shaka Hislop and
   emphatically into the corner of the net.
   
   Cole knew where the game - perhaps the title - was heading, and he had
   only one destination in his own mind, racing away to the far end of
   the ground to pledge his allegiance to the Reds cause to the
   travelling fans.
   
   Alex Ferguson's men, who had soaked up all Newcastle could throw at
   them, could have won by more, Ryan Giggs twice denied by Hislop and
   Paul Scholes missing a sitter.
   
   Peter Schmeichel, who brilliantly denied John Barnes in the first
   half, repeated the medicine to sicken Stuart Pearce, and when Tino
   Asprilla lobbed over three minutes into added time, there was no way
   back.
   
   That game 14 months ago had represented the ultimate high-water mark
   of the Keegan era, and with only 11 of last season's starters on
   display only the real Tyneside romantics could have hoped for a
   repeat.
   
   With Rob Lee ruled out, Kenny Dalglish fielded six nominal defenders,
   although there was an intensity about the Newcastle display, with John
   Beresford the unlikely choice to play as a free floater.
   
   There was precious little room for thought, let alone creativity, in
   the furiously-competitive opening, as Scholes returned in midfield for
   the champions at the expense of Ole Gunnar Solskjaer.
   
   Skirmishes between Philippe Albert and Teddy Sheringham and Cole and
   Pearce reflected the passions off the pitch, the watching Tony Blair
   and Irish Premier Bertie Aherne involved in the only peace discussions
   of the day.
   
   At times Newcastle were too anxious, not picking their passes, but
   they showed what might be when Asprilla and Barnes linked to find the
   raiding Alessandro Pistone on the left, his cross a fraction too high
   for Beresford.
   
   United's response was instant, Beckham's low skimmer was turned aside
   by Hislop, but it was the home side who then took a measure of
   command.
   
   Barnes and Asprilla combined again to square for Keith Gillespie,
   ruled to have been brought down inches outside the box by Nicky Butt,
   with Pearce drilling through the wall and Schmeichel hanging on.
   
   Then, in the 25th minute, Beresford's corner was only half cleared,
   and when Pearce returned the ball with interest, Barnes and the rest
   of St James' was celebrating a header when Schmeichel somehow managed
   to paw the ball aside.
   
   But the balance changed after a moment of sheer petulance in the 32nd
   minute.
   
   Albert clearly fouled Cole from behind, and then, when the one-time
   £7million man took the free-kick quickly, kicked out at his former
   team-mate.
   
   Yet it was the Belgian who suffered, pulling his hamstring, which
   meant Warren Barton came on as right-back with Steve Watson moving
   into the back three.
   
   Now Giggs had a target to go at, with only Watson's brave block
   denying Cole after the winger had roasted the substitute.
   
   Ferguson's side came again before the break and went closer still two
   minutes from the interval.
   
   Giggs and Butt combined on the left and when the ball was played in to
   Cole, he left Peacock for dead only to be foiled by the on-rushing
   Hislop.
   
   Barton's weak header should have been punished by Giggs but the break
   came with it still all level, and all to play for.
   
   Batty almost found a way through eight minutes into the second half,
   intercepting Butt, and exchanging with Barnes, before Butt made amends
   for his own error.
   
   Then Cole headed weakly after being picked out by a searching Beckham
   delivery, and while Asprilla rose well to meet Barton's cross after
   the excellent Batty had spread wide, he could not keep his effort
   down.
   
   Beresford's tackle on Butt allowed another run at goal from the
   spindle-legged Colombian, although Ronny Johnsen, again preferred to
   Henning Berg, did enough.
   
   Bad news for Ferguson came when Phil Neville joined the
   earlier-cautioned Gillespie, Butt and Pistone - he will now miss the
   FA Cup trip to Chelsea.
   
   But all that was forgotten as Cole struck to devastating effect in the
   67th minute, superbly putting away the opportunity he had squandered a
   few minutes earlier.
   
   Hislop had been left flat-footed then, but he kept his team in the
   contest a couple of minutes later, throwing out his limbs to deny
   Giggs after he had again got into the space Barton should have been
   defending.
   
   Giggs was again bested by the keeper as Ferguson's men threatened to
   finish it off, before Scholes side-footed over a gaping target after
   Giggs had again embarrassed Barton.
   
   That was Scholes' last contribution, Solskjaer coming on with 17
   minutes left, and Newcastle, relieved to still be in it, came again.
   
   Schmeichel, however, would not be beaten, surpassing his first-half
   stop with a flying leap to keep out Pearce's diving header.
   
   Batty's otherwise impeccable display was spoiled with a foul on Gary
   Neville that means he also misses the third round of the FA Cup.
   
   Barnes was a fraction wide with another header before Pearce's quick
   reaction saved Newcastle from potentially serious repercussions after
   one so-called fan ran from his seat headed for Cole.
   
   He did not get there, fortunately, and Ferguson and his men were
   willing to forget all about it, especially when Asprilla missed the
   target. They had what they really, really wanted for Christmas.
   
   Newcastle: Hislop, Watson, Beresford (Ketsbaia, 75), Peacock, Pearce,
   Pistone, Albert (Barton, 33), Batty, Barnes, Gillespie, Asprilla.
   Subs not used: Given, Rush, Tomasson.
   Booked: Gillespie, Pistone, Batty, Peacock.
   
   Man United: Schmeichel, G. Neville, Johnsen, P. Neville, Pallister,
   Beckham, Butt, Giggs, Scholes (Solskjaer, 72), Cole, Sheringham
   (McClair, 83).
   Subs not used: Berg, Pilkington, Curtis.
   Booked: Butt, P. Neville, Cole.
   
   Attendance: 36,767.
   Referee: P Jones (Loughborough).
   ______________________________________________________________________

   Blackburn and Chelsea close on Man United
    
   By Mitch Phillips
   
   LONDON, Dec 20 (Reuters) - Blackburn and Chelsea made ground on
   leaders Manchester United on Saturday with convincing English premier
   league victories over West Ham and Sheffield Wednesday respectively. 
   
   Eighteen-year-old Damien Duff hit two as Blackburn thumped West Ham
   3-0 to move within a point of United, who visit Newcastle on Sunday. A
   further point back are Chelsea, who became the league's top scorers
   with a 4-1 thrashing of Wednesday at Hillsborough. 
   
   Tottenham finally found some form, albeit against bottom club
   Barnsley, winning 3-0 and Everton clinched their first away win in a
   year as an 89th minute Gary Speed penalty beat Leicester 1-0.
   
   Blackburn are keeping up a determined chase of Manchester United and
   produced another solid performance to smother West Ham on Saturday.
   
   In the absence of suspended striker Chris Sutton, the opening goal
   came in the 21st minute from the unlikely source of Stuart Ripley --
   his first since April 1994.
   
   Sutton's replacement Duff then stepped into the limelight with two
   poached goals in the second half.
   
   West Ham had Steve Lomas sent off for dissent between Duff's double
   but even at full compliment the Londoners were outclassed.
   
   Last week Chelsea failed to score against nine-man Leeds but on
   Saturday were back to their creative best against a lacklustre
   Sheffield Wednesday.
   
   Dan Petrescu, Gianluca Vialli and a Frank Leboeuf penalty had the
   visitors comfortably in control before Mark Pembridge scored for
   Wednesday in the 71st minute.
   
   It was only a brief setback as Norway's Tore-Andre Flo calmly
   curled-in Chelsea's fourth to complete an impressive victory.
   
   They have now scored 45 goals in 19 games -- one more than Manchester
   United -- and coach Ruud Gullit was a happy man. "Where ever we go we
   have the opportunity of scoring -- and it's not always the same
   players," he said. "And we can defend too."
   
   Wednesday manager Ron Atkinson was furious after what he described as
   "a spanking."
   
   "Considering we played at home the Chelsea boys will think they've had
   a practice match," he said. "I want to see more will-to-win than
   that."
   
   Tottenham, who had lost six of their last seven games, raced into a
   3-0 lead in the first 17 minutes against bottom club Barnsley and held
   on comfortably.
   
   Dane Allan Nielsen tucked in the first after six minutes and then
   Frenchman David Ginola got two -- the second a great header.
   
   Everton were without a goal in their last four games and without an
   away win since December 16 last year but scrambled a dramatic victory
   at Leicester.
   
   Home keeper Kasey Keller brought down pacey striker Danny Cadamarteri
   and Speed, who missed from the spot against Leeds two weeks ago, kept
   his cool to earn three precious points.
   
   "It's been a long time coming," said Everton manager Howard Kendall,
   whose next away game is at Old Trafford on December 26.
   
   The victories were not enough to move either Spurs or Everton out of
   the bottom three as fourth-from-bottom Southampton grabbed a point at
   Aston Villa.
   
   Ian Taylor had Villa ahead in the 64th minute but it lasted only six
   minutes as Egil Ostenstad equalised for the visitors.
   
   Elsewhere, teenager Michael Owen scored Liverpool's goal in an
   uninspired 1-0 home win over Coventry and Leeds overcame Bolton 2-0
   with second half goals by Bruno Ribeiro and Jimmy Hasselbaink.
   
   Derby against Crystal Palace ended goalless while Arsenal visit
   Wimbledon on Monday. REUTERS


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