January 2012, a blisteringly cold day to start the year the world was supposed to end and for Manchester United fans the start of that year should feel like that, defeat to Blackburn in their previous match they were looking to bounce back here but bounce back they wouldn’t, up against a Newcastle side with just one win in their last eight and no hope something amazing happened.

On this cold Wednesday night, it was Manchester Untied who had the better start, with out-of-form Argentinian Fabricio Coloccini intercepting Ryan Giggs’ through ball to Dimitar Berbatov. Danny Simpson also floated an inviting ball across Manchester United’s box but the prolific Demba Ba failed to connect meaningfully. Cabaye and Tiote both tried long range shots and tested The Reds’ Danish keeper Lindegaard before the Toon keeper Krul was also called into action first to make a reaction save to Nani’s snapshot and then to pounce on the rebound before the boot of Wayne Rooney. Berbatov then clipped the outside of the post with a deflected header after 15 minutes before Newcastle had a penalty claim….

Waved away, Ba got in a tangle with Rio Ferdinand but the appeals fell on deaf ears with referee Howard Webb waiving away the Toon’s protests. Then Ba got his chance.

Krul kicked long, Ameobi rose above Jones to nod the ball down and Ba on the swivel finished with a right footed volley high past the stranded Anders Lindegaard to send St James Park’ into raptures.

Ryan Taylor curled a free kick over the bar one minute before the interval after Tiote left Rooney for dead before giving the ball to Ba for Giggs to foul him 30 yards out from the Manchester Reds goal. A nasty dipping Demba Ba efforted was dealt with by the Dane before Webb blew for the break.

And straight after half time it was 2-0 in spectacular fashion. Young defender Phil Jones, who was having an excellent season, barged over Demba Ba and Newcastle had another free kick 30 yards from goal. Yohan Cabaye stepped up this time and the Frenchman hit a superb free kick in off the underside of the bar to give the Mags a 2-0 lead over the title contenders.

They nearly added a third as Williamson narrowly headed over from a Ryan Taylor corner before Manchester Reds upped their pressure. Rooney’s point blank volley should’ve made it 2-1 if not for Manchester old boy Danny Simpson flying across to block but that would be the only chance the had of note as the Newcastle defence held firm and then Phil Jones’ evening went from bad to worse.

A deep free kick from Tim Krul was rather embarrassingly turned into his own net by the former Blackburn centre half to hand Newcastle all three points with three goals to show for it too.

Newcastle: Krul 8; Simpson 7, Coloccini 8, Williamson 8, Santon 7; Taylor 7, Cabaye 9*, Tiote 8, Jonas 7; Ba 8, Ameobi 7; Perch (77) 6, Best (75) 6, Obertan (89) 6; Pardew 10

Manchester Reds: Lindegaard 6; Evra 5, Jones 3, Ferdinand 4, Giggs 5; Park 5, Carrick 5, Nani 5, Valencia 4; Berbatov 4, Rooney 4; Hernandez (66) 5, Welbeck (57) 5, Anderson (74) 5; Ferguson 4

Referee: Howard Webb 7