Referee's error lets United off Shearer's hook

They were singing long and hard in the section reserved for black and white shirts well after the final whistle had sounded, and with reason.

Since Stewart Barraclough and John Tudor gave Joe Harvey's side a 2-0 victory here in February 1972, Newcastle had played Manchester United 22 times at Old Trafford, conceded 55 goals, and won nothing. A draw, and a goalless one at that, was reason enough for celebration. However, had Alan Shearer been awarded a first-half penalty, as the referee, Paul Durkin, admitted he should have been, the Blaydon Races would seldom have sounded sweeter, especially at Highbury and Stamford Bridge. Manchester United's run of six successive Premiership victories was emphatically halted and their lead over Arsenal has been whittled down to a single point.

Durkin had the courage and good sense to face the television cameras afterwards to admit he had made a mistake when judging that the goalkeeper, Tim Howard, had not tripped Shearer as the two men sprinted to meet Gary Neville's abysmally directed back-pass. Like everyone else, he had expected the ball to be played upfield and was out of position.

The Newcastle captain, who has endured his fair share of humiliations at Old Trafford, was full of earthy philosophy afterwards. "It would have been given at the other end, but I think it was asking a bit much for Alan Shearer to be given a penalty at the Stretford End, don't you?" Shearer said. "When I asked the referee why he hadn't booked me for diving, he said: 'I didn't think you dived'. Work that one out for yourself."

Durkin was, however, unrepentant when asked if he had erred when ruling out Mikaël Silvestre's 66th-minute goal for a push on Andy O'Brien. "He had his hands all over the defender and there was enough contact for me to blow," the referee said. Since O'Brien had endured a smashed nose, a gashed lip and a stinging headache in shackling Ruud van Nistelrooy probably more effectively than he has been by any other Premiership side, he deserved any fortune going. "He is nothing fancy, just a good defender," his manager, Sir Bobby Robson, said. On yesterday's evidence he was, literally and figuratively, bloody good.

Newcastle have never been especially noted for the effectiveness of their defending, although Jonathan Woodgate has brought a calmness and stability that has too often been absent. "He did not panic, and it will be hard to keep him out of the England side," Robson reflected. "All you have to do is keep him fit and keep him on the pitch."

It may be some time before Rio Ferdinand, Woodgate's one-time partner, is seen again on a football pitch in Manchester, although any appeal would delay the introduction of the eight-month suspension for failing to attend a drugs test.

He made one outstanding reactive tackle to sweep the ball away from Laurent Robert, and Robson thought he would be irreplaceable, while stressing that "It would take more than the loss of one centre-half to turn a title". Perhaps, but neither of Ferdinand's two potential replacements, Wes Brown or John O'Shea, has quite his mixture of presence and gliding pace.

For all their first-half possession, Newcastle only once came close to scoring and that was after the interval when Jermaine Jenas' header from Robert's corner smashed against Howard's crossbar during a period when Manchester United were spreading their dominance across the pitch. Had Ryan Giggs not strained his back and been replaced by the ineffectual Diego Forlan, they might have prised Newcastle open.

It was a fascinating contest, full of nuances and sideshows. There was a time, not very long ago, when it was received wisdom that the Premiership would never match Serie A tactically or for intelligent use of the ball. However, this was a match which could happily have been staged in Milan, Turin or Rome. Those who thought a fixture, which in the recent past has averaged five goals-a-game, would trigger a frenetic dash towards both nets were mistaken; proof that the Premiership is more subtle than many give it credit for.

Manchester United (4-5-1): Howard 6; G Neville 5 (Bellion, 80), Ferdinand 7, Silvestre 6, O'Shea 5; Scholes 6, Keane 7, P Neville 5 (Fortune 5, 69), Kleberson 5, Giggs 6 (Forlan 4, h-t); Van Nistelrooy 5. Substitutes not used: Carroll (gk), Butt.

Newcastle United (4-4-1-1): Given 6; Hughes 6, O'Brien 8, Woodgate 8, Bernard 6; Solano 6 (Ambrose, 82), Jenas 5, Speed 5; Dyer 6; Shearer 7. Substitutes not used: Harper (gk), Griffin, Chopra, Viana.

Referee: P Durkin (Portland) 7.

Bookings: Manchester United: G Neville, P Neville.

Man of the match: O'Brien.

Attendance: 67,622.