Terrace Talk

I love St. James’ Park. As a fan, you have moments that you will never forget, and many of those have come at Tyneside. “Are you Sunderland in disguise?” was the call from the away fans five years ago as United hammered Newcastle for six goals. What I remember about that day was the absolute raw aggression of the team and the constant hunger to rack up the score. Manchester United weren’t playing against a team that afternoon, but against shadows, while they turned flowing attacks into spectacular goals.

Within 25 minutes of Jermaine Jenas’ opening goal, United were up 4-1 without a pause in sight. I actually find it interesting how things haven’t really changed all that much in half a decade. Ryan Giggs provided the equalizer for Ole to start the goal-fest. He’ll be working his magic once again against a scrambling Newcastle defense that is just as weak as it was then. Paul Scholes is still the key man in midfield for United and while he may not produce another hat-trick tomorrow, he has always had a particular taste for goal against the barcodes.

It was strange for me to watch highlights of that game realizing that Nicky Butt is on the opposing side, Ruud Van Nistlerooy is no where to be found on a United team roster, and Newcastle actually had a good manager in Sir Bobby Robson. After the match, Sir Bobby had said of United “Today I’ve seen them outskill us and kill us with their movement.” In typical Manchester United fashion, tomorrow should be more of the same.

Fast forwarding five years to Manchester United facing Newcastle at Old Trafford earlier this year, no one expected that another rout was on and another United legend would score a hat-trick. “There’s only one Ronaldo” was the chant from the rafters as he led United in dissecting the barcodes in a second half mauling. Tevez added two goals, and while I expected Rooney to be on the team sheet that day seeing as he had scored 7 goals in 8 appearances at that point - he was happier being the creator rather than the focus. However, I expect his thirst for goal will not have been quenched while in France in midweek, and he’ll be the real danger while in Tyneside. He might want to look to Rio Ferdinand, whose marvelous goal was more like something you would have seen from Ole Gunnar Solskjaer than a central defender.

Newcastle come into the game losing to Aston Villa in a very poor second half performance. Kevin Keegan still has a lot of work to do to get the team to play more cohesively and far more in consistently. It would help if St. James’ wasn’t shrouded in drama once again, with rumors pouring into the terraces that Mike Ashley is looking to sell the club to Dubai Investment Capital. The key to Newcastle has not changed. They need to solidify the defense and involve Damien Duff into the game early so as to give less attention to Michael Owen.

It is hard to see how United will not prevail in tomorrow’s encounter, however it is also easy to forget that to win the premiership, United must play every game as if the result decides the fate of the Premiership trophy. As in 2003, a win at St. James’ park, may add a few dollars in the coffers, but it also may act as the foundation for United’s final run to the trophy. Five years and little has changed. If past indications are to be trusted, I’m sure I’ll be singing “There’s only one United!” once again.