United outclass Man City 15 years ago

NEWCASTLE United head to the Etihad Stadium on Saturday, surely with only the staunchest of black and white hearts hopeful of any kind of positive result for their team.

Such is Manchester City’s dominance in the Premier League, we’re only in mid-January and they already have one hand on the league trophy (despite that blip against Liverpool last weekend).

It used to be all so different. Before their Middle-Eastern backers bankrolled the purchase of a fantasy football team, City were utterly run-of-the-mill.

The “Manchester Mackems”, as some fans up here labelled them, were very much in the shadow of their illustrious neighbours over at Old Trafford.

City arrived at St James’ Park on this day 15 years ago as an unremarkable mid-to-lower table team who’d not long returned to the top flight after a handful of seasons toiling in the second – and third – tiers of English football.

Sir Bobby Robson’s powerful United team, meanwhile, sat third in the Premier League and were in the later stages of the Champions’ League.

There were some familiar faces for the visitors. Steve Howey and Sylvain Distin lined up in defence, while a certain Kevin Keegan was manager.

But this was the City of Kevin Horlock and Shaun Goater – not David Silva and Sergio Aguero.

Watched by a crowd of 52,152, and refereed by Graham Poll, goals from Alan Shearer – after 10 seconds – and Craig Bellamy, pictured, in the second half earned the Toon a routine victory.

‘United so much slicker than City’, ran the Chronicle’s match report.

“Ten on the trot in the Premiership for United at St James’ Park left Kevin Keegan holding up his hands in abject surrender,” we reported.

“Meanwhile, Sir Bobby Robson, bless him, was left to smile in contentment and like a doting father talk affectionately about the examination results of his beloved sons.

“With a United squad hit by injuries, they still achieved total domination over the visitors.”

Come the end of the 20022003 season, Newcastle United would finish third in the Premier League, with City down in ninth.

What a difference 15 years makes...