Manchester United against Newcastle United

Van Nistlerooy is held up on the right by the attentions of O'Brien. Eventually he is able to get a cross in but it is just too long for Bellion at the far post

Newcastle look to break down the left through Dyer and Bernard. With several United men in persuit it is Keane who makes the vital challenge to halt their progress

Both injured players are back on the pitch. From the free-kick Howard is well positioned to collect

Newcastle make their first substitution. Darren Ambrose coming on for Solano

Bernard and Silvestre clash leaving both players on the floor in pain

The free-kick is fired at pace to the back post where Ferdinand rises well to put it back across the box but no one in a red shirt is able to meet it.

Gary Neville goes off to be replaced by David Bellion

Woodgate, continuing his battle with van Nistlerooy, gives away a free-kick against him out by the corner flag

Hopeful ball forward from Gary Neville elludes everyone except Given

Forlan wastes a promising position for United as, with time on his hands, his cross is cut out by the first defender

As the game goes on more space is appearing at both ends. Another Newcastle attack breaks down before Fortune shoots from distance, forcing Given to make a smart save

Dyer and Robert break for Newcastle. Robert looks to have found space into which to recieve Dyers through ball but some fantastic defending from ferdinand sees the danger snuffed out

A low free-kick from the left by Fortune sees the ball come back off Forlan's feet as he tries to readjust himself. A poor delivery in

Again down the right, Kleberson is put free with a real shooting chance. As Given advances the midfielder seeks to chip the keeper but he puts far too much on it and the ball sails over the bar

Seizing on some sloppy play by Newcastle, Forlan gets a powerful shot away from the right corner of the box that Given does well to hang on to

A second substitution for the home side sees Phil Neville replaced by Fortune

Scholes, after recieving a lay-off from Forlan, lines up a shot from just outside the area. It's a decent strike but Given collects after first parrying

A corner ball sees Silvestre get an outstretched foot to the ball to direct it into the Newcastle net. The goal is ruled out, however, for a percieved push by Silvestre. The contact was only slight and the United players are justified in there anger at the decision

Forlan, wide on the left, fires in a great low cross along the six yard box into the path of van Nistelrooy but Speed is alert enough to deny him

Keane typically powers into the box and in a scramble he appeals for a handball by O'Brien, van Nistlerooy is denied by a Newcastle challenge and, finally, a Kleberson shot faisl to hit the target

Tempo of the game has risen along with the volume in the stadium and the last half hour promises to be a decent match

Casual clearance from Given catches the flying foot of van Nistelrooy. The deflection, fortunately for Newcastle, goes out to the wing where Forlan picks it up

Silvestre makes two strong challenges to temporarily halt a quick Newcastle counter attack. Then the same defender keeps pace with Hughes who hits the byline but is unable to put in a strong enough cross

Long ball aimed towards van Nistelrooy on the right is put out by Woodgate who is competing well with the Dutch striker

Second yellow card of the game this time for Phil Neville after a late challenge on Solano

Corner for Newcastle is met powerfully by Jenas just outside the six yard box but the ball rebounds off the crossbar with Howard beaten.

United break into the Newcastle box with Scholes and van Nistelrooy but O'brien is alive to the danger and cuts out a pass betwen the two forwards

Newcastle come forward in numbers first down the right with Shearer, then on the opposite flank with Bernard but are unable to make a real impression on the home defence

Dyer breaks from the middle of the pitch at pace and is qwuickly surrounded by three red shirts. The Newcastle man goes to ground under no sort of challenge from Gary Neville and 'earns' his side a free-kick and the defender a yellow card - the first of the game

Forlan free-kick fromt he right fails to clear the first ewcastle defender

A whipped cross from Kleberson is far to close to Given to cause any problems to the goalkeeper

Keane spreads the ball wide to O'Shea but his cross, despite having time and space, is poor

Van Nistelrooy challenges Given and the ball almost falls to Scholes but Newcastle are able to clear

Giggs has been taken off due to a back injury

Niether side has settled down quickly with possession exchanged several times in the middle of the pitch

At half-time Diego Forlan has replaced Ryan Giggs for the home side. Newcastle are unchanged

A very even first-half comes to a close with the score still at 0-0. Neither side has really done enough to merit a lead though both have had a couple of half-chances. Newcastle will feel they should have had a penalty but Shearer's appeal (which started before he had hit the ground) probably put the referee off giving it.

Clever disguised ball from Robert finds Solano on the edge of the box. He has to react quickly as United close him down and his snap shot curves away from Howard's goal for a goal-kick

Real chance for Giggs who makes room for a free header 12 yards out, right in front of the goal. He is unable to put enough on it though and it is directed straight at Given

Corner is helped on by Keane and Given has to be strong to catch the ball underneath his crossbar under pressure from van Nistelrooy

O'Shea pushed right up on the left wing wins a corner for United

Lovely interchange of passes in the centre of the pitch by United. Ball comes to van Nistelrooy a long way out but he still elects to shoot as the furthest man forward. It takes a deflection but Given is able to collect easily

Free-kick is a poor one as Giggs sends it straight in to the Newcastle wall

As Scholes looks to thread a pass between two Newcastle defenders to the path of van Nistelrooy, the Dutchman is tripped by Bernard who looked to make a genuine attempt to play the ball. Free-kick for United in front of goal

The next corner is also in to a dangerous area but Howard is alert enough to get a puch to it and deny Newcastle a goal scoring opportunity

Ball comes back in to the crowded bax and, after a couple of interventions from United defenders the ball falls to the feet of Woodgate who has two strikes at it, the second producing a corner

Corner is a good one and Woodgate is denied by the numbers in the box

Kick is curled to the back post where Silvestre puts it out for a corner

Newcastle work the play down the left hand side. Eventually a free-kick is won on the left corner of the box

Ferdinand, with all the time in the world, opts to punt a ball forward towards van Nistelrooy that is well wide of its intended target

Short break as O'Brien gets a ball in the face and has to recieve treatment

Newcastle seem to be taking the initiative in terms of possession without really looking likely to score whilst United continue to carry the threat of a counter attack at pace

A Bernard cross, as ever, aimed at Shearer is over hit

Jenas comes off worse as he fouls van Nistelrooy in the middle of the pitch. He is back up on his feet before too long

Period of patient build up play by Newcastle comes to nothing in the end as red shirts crowd out Jenas

Long kick by Given, header won by Shearer an Dyer competing with Ferdinand for the ball. The Newcastle man gets a touch but Howard is equal to it

A dangerous back pass from Gary Neville puts Howard in trouble. Shearer beats the American to the ball and then falls to the ground as the two make contact with each other. There was contact but a penalty would have been harsh. Nothing given, though Shearer chases the referee claiming he got it wrong

An even match is borne out by the statistic of possession in the game at 50% apiece

Speed floats a ball to Shearer on the edge of the box. The big striker wins the header but his knock down bisects Solano and Dyer who were both in good positions around the six-yard box

Giggs breaks with pace down the left after a gap appears in the Newcastle back line. A ball in to the near post area aimed at Kleberson produces nothing as Bernard is aware of the danger and shepherds the United man away from goal

Yet again Robert tries his luck from distance and yet again does nothing to threaten the 0-0 scoreline

Ferdinand solid at the back as he clears hopeful balls in to the box twice in quick succession

Gary Neville is penalised for a strong challenge on Benard as he looks to clear his lines

Newcastle looking for Shearer to win flick-ons and then exploit the pace of Dyer to chase them.

Robert shoots from a mighty distance and, despite coming close, Howard looked to have it covered

Shearer tangles with Silvestre again and wins another free-kick in a dangerous area

A lot of United's attacking play coming down the left with Giggs and O'Shea, but as yet with no end result

O'Shea beats Dyer to put in a cross but Jenas clears with ease

First blood to Newcastle in the form of Shearer's bleeding nose after a clash with Silvestre. An arm conects with Shearer's face but it is accidental

A good passing move from United leaves the ball at Kleberson's feet 30 yards from goal. He swings in an inviting cross aimed at van Nistelrooy. The Dutchman is forced to stretch and can't direct the shot from less than 10 yards out

Flick on by Shearer gives Dyer something to chase on the right but even his speed is not enough to get to the ball ahead of a red shirt

Game so far is relatively slow pace as both sides seem willing to concede possession in none threatening areas

Robert tries to replecate his scoring feat from a few weeks ago against Spurs. A full 35 yards out he strikes on the volley and the only person troubled is sat well up in the stand behind Howard's goal

Gary Neville cross from the right finds the feet of Giggs in the box. He jinks and turns, passes to Scholes who blasts well wide from 12 yards

Woodgate finds himself well forward and, after an exchange of passes with Shearer, gets the ball out to Solano. His options are blocked off by the United defence and in the end a poor cross produces nothing

Robert swings a ball in to the United box but the presence of Ferdinad means it is easily cleared

Speed looks to play a one-two with Bernard out on the left but the return ball is over-hit

Given has to look lively as he beats van Nistlerooy in a race to the ball on the very edge of his box

Newcastle's first attack sees Solano feed Dyer on the edge of the box. Dyer tries to turn the last United man but too much weight on the first touch and it runs away from him

Sharp pass from Phil Neville to Keane out on the right, Keane cuts inside and plays a cross that is too strong to be dangerous

O'Shea gives Giggs something to chase down the left and the Welshman is able to put a cross in but no one is able to get on the end of it

United kick off but it is Newcastle to take control of possession from the off

Ruud van Nistlerooy is just two goals away from recording a century for Manchester United. Kleberson comes into the starting line up to replace the suspended Fletcher and Scholes will play as the link striker behind the Dutchman. Newcastle look to improve on a woeful record against the current champions. Since beating them 5-0 in 1996 they have recorded a win only twice from the subsequent 15 matches. Kieron Dyer continues to partner Shearer up front in the absence of Craig Bellamy

All the action from Old Trafford as the champions look to restore their three-point lead at the top, while the visitors hope to stay in the hunt for that invaluable fourth place. Commentary and GameCast from 16.05 GMT

A second substitution for the home side sees Phil Neville replaced by Fortune

Scholes, after recieving a lay-off from Forlan, lines up a shot from just outside the area. It's a decent strike but Given collects after first parrying

A corner ball sees Silvestre get an outstretched foot to the ball to direct it into the Newcastle net. The goal is ruled out, however, for a percieved push by Silvestre. The contact was only slight and the United players are justified in there anger at the decision

Forlan, wide on the left, fires in a great low cross along the six yard box into the path of van Nistelrooy but Speed is alert enough to deny him

Keane typically powers into the box and in a scramble he appeals for a handball by O'Brien, van Nistlerooy is denied by a Newcastle challenge and, finally, a Kleberson shot faisl to hit the target

Tempo of the game has risen along with the volume in the stadium and the last half hour promises to be a decent match

Casual clearance from Given catches the flying foot of van Nistelrooy. The deflection, fortunately for Newcastle, goes out to the wing where Forlan picks it up

Silvestre makes two strong challenges to temporarily halt a quick Newcastle counter attack. Then the same defender keeps pace with Hughes who hits the byline but is unable to put in a strong enough cross

Long ball aimed towards van Nistelrooy on the right is put out by Woodgate who is competing well with the Dutch striker

Second yellow card of the game this time for Phil Neville after a late challenge on Solano

Corner for Newcastle is met powerfully by Jenas just outside the six yard box but the ball rebounds off the crossbar with Howard beaten.

United break into the Newcastle box with Scholes and van Nistelrooy but O'brien is alive to the danger and cuts out a pass betwen the two forwards

Newcastle come forward in numbers first down the right with Shearer, then on the opposite flank with Bernard but are unable to make a real impression on the home defence

Dyer breaks from the middle of the pitch at pace and is qwuickly surrounded by three red shirts. The Newcastle man goes to ground under no sort of challenge from Gary Neville and 'earns' his side a free-kick and the defender a yellow card - the first of the game

Forlan free-kick fromt he right fails to clear the first ewcastle defender

A whipped cross from Kleberson is far to close to Given to cause any problems to the goalkeeper

Keane spreads the ball wide to O'Shea but his cross, despite having time and space, is poor

Van Nistelrooy challenges Given and the ball almost falls to Scholes but Newcastle are able to clear

Giggs has been taken off due to a back injury

Niether side has settled down quickly with possession exchanged several times in the middle of the pitch

At half-time Diego Forlan has replaced Ryan Giggs for the home side. Newcastle are unchanged

A very even first-half comes to a close with the score still at 0-0. Neither side has really done enough to merit a lead though both have had a couple of half-chances. Newcastle will feel they should have had a penalty but Shearer's appeal (which started before he had hit the ground) probably put the referee off giving it.

Clever disguised ball from Robert finds Solano on the edge of the box. He has to react quickly as United close him down and his snap shot curves away from Howard's goal for a goal-kick

Real chance for Giggs who makes room for a free header 12 yards out, right in front of the goal. He is unable to put enough on it though and it is directed straight at Given

Corner is helped on by Keane and Given has to be strong to catch the ball underneath his crossbar under pressure from van Nistelrooy

O'Shea pushed right up on the left wing wins a corner for United

Lovely interchange of passes in the centre of the pitch by United. Ball comes to van Nistelrooy a long way out but he still elects to shoot as the furthest man forward. It takes a deflection but Given is able to collect easily

Free-kick is a poor one as Giggs sends it straight in to the Newcastle wall

As Scholes looks to thread a pass between two Newcastle defenders to the path of van Nistelrooy, the Dutchman is tripped by Bernard who looked to make a genuine attempt to play the ball. Free-kick for United in front of goal

The next corner is also in to a dangerous area but Howard is alert enough to get a puch to it and deny Newcastle a goal scoring opportunity

Ball comes back in to the crowded bax and, after a couple of interventions from United defenders the ball falls to the feet of Woodgate who has two strikes at it, the second producing a corner

Corner is a good one and Woodgate is denied by the numbers in the box

Kick is curled to the back post where Silvestre puts it out for a corner

Newcastle work the play down the left hand side. Eventually a free-kick is won on the left corner of the box

Ferdinand, with all the time in the world, opts to punt a ball forward towards van Nistelrooy that is well wide of its intended target

Short break as O'Brien gets a ball in the face and has to recieve treatment

Newcastle seem to be taking the initiative in terms of possession without really looking likely to score whilst United continue to carry the threat of a counter attack at pace

A Bernard cross, as ever, aimed at Shearer is over hit

Jenas comes off worse as he fouls van Nistelrooy in the middle of the pitch. He is back up on his feet before too long

Period of patient build up play by Newcastle comes to nothing in the end as red shirts crowd out Jenas

Long kick by Given, header won by Shearer an Dyer competing with Ferdinand for the ball. The Newcastle man gets a touch but Howard is equal to it

A dangerous back pass from Gary Neville puts Howard in trouble. Shearer beats the American to the ball and then falls to the ground as the two make contact with each other. There was contact but a penalty would have been harsh. Nothing given, though Shearer chases the referee claiming he got it wrong

An even match is borne out by the statistic of possession in the game at 50% apiece

Speed floats a ball to Shearer on the edge of the box. The big striker wins the header but his knock down bisects Solano and Dyer who were both in good positions around the six-yard box

Giggs breaks with pace down the left after a gap appears in the Newcastle back line. A ball in to the near post area aimed at Kleberson produces nothing as Bernard is aware of the danger and shepherds the United man away from goal

Yet again Robert tries his luck from distance and yet again does nothing to threaten the 0-0 scoreline

Ferdinand solid at the back as he clears hopeful balls in to the box twice in quick succession

Gary Neville is penalised for a strong challenge on Benard as he looks to clear his lines

Newcastle looking for Shearer to win flick-ons and then exploit the pace of Dyer to chase them.

Robert shoots from a mighty distance and, despite coming close, Howard looked to have it covered

Shearer tangles with Silvestre again and wins another free-kick in a dangerous area

A lot of United's attacking play coming down the left with Giggs and O'Shea, but as yet with no end result

O'Shea beats Dyer to put in a cross but Jenas clears with ease

First blood to Newcastle in the form of Shearer's bleeding nose after a clash with Silvestre. An arm conects with Shearer's face but it is accidental

A good passing move from United leaves the ball at Kleberson's feet 30 yards from goal. He swings in an inviting cross aimed at van Nistelrooy. The Dutchman is forced to stretch and can't direct the shot from less than 10 yards out

Flick on by Shearer gives Dyer something to chase on the right but even his speed is not enough to get to the ball ahead of a red shirt

Game so far is relatively slow pace as both sides seem willing to concede possession in none threatening areas

Robert tries to replecate his scoring feat from a few weeks ago against Spurs. A full 35 yards out he strikes on the volley and the only person troubled is sat well up in the stand behind Howard's goal

Gary Neville cross from the right finds the feet of Giggs in the box. He jinks and turns, passes to Scholes who blasts well wide from 12 yards

Woodgate finds himself well forward and, after an exchange of passes with Shearer, gets the ball out to Solano. His options are blocked off by the United defence and in the end a poor cross produces nothing

Robert swings a ball in to the United box but the presence of Ferdinad means it is easily cleared

Speed looks to play a one-two with Bernard out on the left but the return ball is over-hit

Given has to look lively as he beats van Nistlerooy in a race to the ball on the very edge of his box

Newcastle's first attack sees Solano feed Dyer on the edge of the box. Dyer tries to turn the last United man but too much weight on the first touch and it runs away from him

Sharp pass from Phil Neville to Keane out on the right, Keane cuts inside and plays a cross that is too strong to be dangerous

O'Shea gives Giggs something to chase down the left and the Welshman is able to put a cross in but no one is able to get on the end of it

United kick off but it is Newcastle to take control of possession from the off

Ruud van Nistlerooy is just two goals away from recording a century for Manchester United. Kleberson comes into the starting line up to replace the suspended Fletcher and Scholes will play as the link striker behind the Dutchman. Newcastle look to improve on a woeful record against the current champions. Since beating them 5-0 in 1996 they have recorded a win only twice from the subsequent 15 matches. Kieron Dyer continues to partner Shearer up front in the absence of Craig Bellamy

All the action from Old Trafford as the champions look to restore their three-point lead at the top, while the visitors hope to stay in the hunt for that invaluable fourth place. Commentary and GameCast from 16.05 GMT