Managerial pedigree is the only area where United now compare with Man U
RED DEVILS’ QUALITY STACKS THE DECK IN THEIR FAVOUR – BUT TOON STILL HAVE AN ACE IN THE DUGOUT
PREMIER battles between the two Uniteds of Newcastle and Manchester used to be high-octane confrontations at the very pinnacle of English football.
Recall if you will the Reds’ agonising 1-0 victory at SJP courtesy of Peter Schmeichel and Eric Cantona which highlighted the erosion of Newcastle’s 12-point championship lead, the 4-0 Wembley humiliation in the Charity Shield and gloriously the 5-0 revenge slaughter of Fergie’s title winners back up here.
In those heady days Man U were first and the Mags second in successive Premier League seasons - but early Sunday afternoon it will be a very different comparison on view.
The visitors, second in the table, will be up against a relegationhaunted Newcastle without a home win in their last eight league outings.
Significantly, in mid-November as the depressing downward spiral from sixth-top gained early momentum, this opposition gave the Magpies a goal start and a 4-1 whipping.
Yet you have to cling to the belief that even though Newcastle could not beat Swansea, Brighton, Bournemouth, Watford and Burnley on their own green, perhaps in a crazy world the elusive three points will come against the mighty guns of Man U.
While the head will undoubtedly scoff, the heart can retain hope.
There is still a single comparison which can be made between two clubs who have gone in very different directions.
Where it used to be Kevin Keegan vs Alex Ferguson, it is now another heavyweight managerial confrontation – two Champions League winners, Rafa Benitez against Jose Mourinho.
It is a long shot that even the Benitez effect will be able to offset the megarich superstars in opposition – but then Newcastle need long shots to come up if they are to escape what could be the inevitable if they are not careful.
Benitez has said he wants to remain a manager into his seventies. Not if he experiences many seasons like this one he will not. His heart would not stand it. New faces bring fresh hope. A goalkeeper to keep them out and a centre-forward to put them in. Oh, if only it was as simple as that. A team game by definition means an awful lot more work of consequence must also happen elsewhere – so step forward Jamaal Lascelles to organise the back line, Jonjo Shelvey, Mikel Merino or Mo Diame to create from centre midfield and Kenedy to manufacture ammunition from wide.
The opposition, of course, can match up with David de Gea as last line of defence, Paul Pogba as playmaker and Alexis Sanchez and Romelu Lukaku up top. Money rules these days like never before.
However back in the seventies, after crashing out of the FA Cup to non-league Hereford, the Mags went to Old Trafford and defeated its great stars George Best, Bobby Charlton, and Denis Law – a trio who were as good, if not better, than anything they have now.
Two successive Saturdays when football proved oneoffs CAN happen.
Newcastle can no longer cherry-pick their matches in terms of delivering three points. They have wasted too many such opportunities against so-called beatable sides. Now they must face up to spiking the big guns if the safety of high ground is to be reached. So Sunday is a massive day in every way.
Newcastle can no longer cherry pick their matches in terms of delivering three points John Gibson