Rooney helps United to overcome Newcastle

Newcastle 1-2 Manchester United


van der Sar had a sacry night on Wednesday as he had surrendered his goal keeping record with a mistake at Newcastle . But United showed why they are the champions through Rooney why they are the champions . Sir Alex Ferguson's men stretched their lead at the top of the table back to seven points as goals from Wayne Rooney and Dimitar Berbatov cancelled out Peter Lovenkrands' early opener.

The hosts began the game in a manner which suggested they were not prepared to become another notch on the Red Devils' march towards the Premier League title.

That bright start paid dividends inside nine minutes as an uncharacteristic mistake from Edwin van der Sar presented the simplest of opportunities to Lovenkrands, and brought an end to his long-running clean sheet record.

However, United are not the kind of side to lie down and displayed all their battling qualities to haul themselves level on 20 minutes.

Wayne Rooney was allowed time and space to spin on the edge of the box and Steve Harper was left flailing at thin air as the England international rifled a slightly deflected effort high into the net.

Newcastle then proceeded to shoot themselves in the foot on 56 minutes as some calamitous defending from Ryan Taylor presented the visitors with a gift-wrapped second.

The Magpies midfielder attempted a very ambitious chest back to Harper, but saw Park Ji-sung steal in and poke the ball into the path of the unmarked Berbatov, who tapped home from six-yards.

Rooney went close to stretching United's lead with time running out, but lifted a good opportunity onto the roof of the net, while Lovenkrands and Obafemi Martins searched in vain for an equaliser at the opposite end.