Premier League
Man UtdManchester United0NewcastleNewcastle United0

Manchester United 0-0 Newcastle United

By Neil JohnstonBBC Sport
Manchester United v Newcastle
Manchester United had won their previous three games this season

Manchester United's 100% winning start to the season ended as Newcastle United produced a battling display to secure their second point of the campaign.

Wayne Rooney had a goal ruled out for offside as Louis van Gaal's United made a blistering start before Newcastle responded through Aleksandar Mitrovic.

The Serbia striker headed against the United bar before Newcastle's Tim Krul denied Javier Hernandez.

Chris Smalling headed against the Newcastle post in the closing moments.

Louis van Gaal's side started and finished well but were left frustrated as Newcastle survived the home side's early attacks and came close to taking the lead themselves.

Newcastle boss Steve McClaren, the former Manchester United assistant manager, could have been celebrating the perfect return to Old Trafford but new signing Florian Thauvin narrowly failed to connect with Papiss Cisse's ball across the six-yard area in added time.

Manchester United lacking upfront

Van Gaal saw his side put heavy pressure on Newcastle's goal with 20 shots. Inside the first 20 minutes alone, the hosts had more shots on target - four - than they managed in their opening two league games.

Seven points from three games is a satisfactory return, while Manchester United have yet to concede in 270 minutes of Premier League action.

Luke Shaw
Manchester United defender Luke Shaw reacts at the end of the draw with Newcastle

But it is at the other end of the pitch where their problems lie, two goals in three games against Tottenham, Aston Villa and Newcastle highlighting a lack of cutting edge.

Juan Mata, Rooney, Morgan Schneiderlin, and even defender Luke Shaw, all had great chances but were denied by a combination of great goalkeeping from Krul and poor finishing.

Wayne Rooney is struggling

Graph
Wayne Rooney had two shots on target and one blocked shot

Rooney was narrowly offside when he beat Krul with a fine finish in the fourth minute.

Yet the England man's performance mirrored that of his team - hungry and bright at the start before fading.

He is without a goal for his club since 4 April but Rooney has not been helped by a lack of pace around him.

McClaren has made Newcastle hard to beat

McClaren has endured an unspectacular start to his reign at Newcastle, the Magpies arriving at Old Trafford on the back of a home draw against Southampton and an away defeat by Swansea.

Man Utd 0-0 Newcastle: Steve McClaren feels 'belief is growing'

Yet they produced enough evidence over the 90 minutes to show they will be no soft touches this season.

Having survived the home side's early barrage, Newcastle looked the most likely to score, with Mitrovic so close with his header.

When the hosts were at their most dangerous, Newcastle defended bravely with Fabricio Coloccini leading by example with some vital challenges.

'We did not make the right choices'

Manchester United boss Louis van Gaal: "We can be satisfied with the performance but not with the result - we were unlucky.

Man Utd 0-0 Newcastle: Louis van Gaal pleased with performance

"We did not make the right choices in the final third but we played fantastic as a team. I like these kind of games when we work like this, but not this result.

"The performance was one of the best in my period but we don't reward ourselves and there was only one club that wanted to win and that was us."

Newcastle United manager Steve McClaren: "We're disappointed. We knew the first 20 minutes would be theirs but we grew in belief and we should have scored.

"The defending and discipline was superb but we really could have nicked it - we had the chances but didn't take them.

"We're far from where we want to be and there a lot of areas we need to improve on but we'll get better as the weeks go on."

Man of the match - Fabricio Coloccini

Manchester United 0-0 Newcastle
Fabricio Coloccini made some heroic challenges as Newcastle secured a first clean sheet of the season, including his block in the closing stages to deny Antonio Valencia

The stats you need to know

  • Manchester have started a Premier League season with three successive clean sheets for a third time.
  • Sergio Romero is the first goalkeeper since David Ospina to keep a clean sheet in each of his first three Premier League games.
  • Wayne Rooney had more than one shot on target for only the second time in 21 Premier League appearances in 2015.
  • Rooney's goal drought for Manchester United now stands at 858 minutes (all comps).
  • Newcastle earned their first point away from home in the Premier League since February.
  • Man United registered eight shots on target in this match. They only had three across their opening two Premier League games this season.

Line-ups

Man Utd

Formation 4-2-3-1

  • 20Romero
  • 36DarmianBooked at 19minsSubstituted forA Valenciaat 77'minutes
  • 12Smalling
  • 17Blind
  • 23ShawBooked at 70mins
  • 28Schneiderlin
  • 31SchweinsteigerSubstituted forCarrickat 59'minutes
  • 8Mata
  • 11JanuzajSubstituted forHernándezat 67'minutes
  • 7Depay
  • 10Rooney

Substitutes

  • 14Hernández
  • 16Carrick
  • 18Young
  • 21Herrera
  • 25A Valencia
  • 33McNair
  • 50Johnstone

Newcastle

Formation 4-2-3-1

  • 1Krul
  • 18Mbemba
  • 27Taylor
  • 2Coloccini
  • 19HaidaraBooked at 20mins
  • 8Anita
  • 4Colback
  • 14ObertanBooked at 57minsSubstituted forThauvinat 69'minutes
  • 5Wijnaldum
  • 17PérezSubstituted forTiotéat 78'minutes
  • 45MitrovicSubstituted forCisséat 88'minutes

Substitutes

  • 6Williamson
  • 9Cissé
  • 10de Jong
  • 16Aarons
  • 20Thauvin
  • 24Tioté
  • 26Darlow
Referee:
Craig Pawson
Attendance:
75,354

Match Stats

Home TeamMan UtdAway TeamNewcastle
Possession
Home69%
Away31%
Shots
Home20
Away7
Shots on Target
Home8
Away0
Corners
Home11
Away5
Fouls
Home15
Away11

Live Text

  1. Post update

    Match ends, Manchester United 0, Newcastle United 0.

  2. Full Time

    Second Half ends, Manchester United 0, Newcastle United 0.

  3. Post update

    Corner, Manchester United. Conceded by Fabricio Coloccini.

  4. Post update

    Attempt blocked. Michael Carrick (Manchester United) right footed shot from outside the box is blocked.

  5. Post update

    Attempt missed. Papiss Demba Cissé (Newcastle United) right footed shot from the right side of the box misses to the left. Assisted by Georginio Wijnaldum following a fast break.

  6. Post update

    Chris Smalling (Manchester United) hits the right post with a header from the centre of the box. Assisted by Memphis Depay with a cross following a corner.

  7. Post update

    Corner, Manchester United. Conceded by Chancel Mbemba.

  8. Substitution

    Substitution, Newcastle United. Papiss Demba Cissé replaces Aleksandar Mitrovic.

  9. Post update

    Foul by Wayne Rooney (Manchester United).

  10. Post update

    Jack Colback (Newcastle United) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

  11. Post update

    Corner, Manchester United. Conceded by Chancel Mbemba.

  12. Post update

    Corner, Manchester United. Conceded by Fabricio Coloccini.

  13. Post update

    Attempt blocked. Antonio Valencia (Manchester United) right footed shot from the centre of the box is blocked.

  14. Post update

    Foul by Memphis Depay (Manchester United).

  15. Post update

    Cheick Tioté (Newcastle United) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

  16. Post update

    Antonio Valencia (Manchester United) wins a free kick on the right wing.

  17. Post update

    Foul by Aleksandar Mitrovic (Newcastle United).

  18. Post update

    Foul by Morgan Schneiderlin (Manchester United).

  19. Post update

    Jack Colback (Newcastle United) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

  20. Post update

    Attempt saved. Javier Hernández (Manchester United) left footed shot from the centre of the box is saved in the bottom right corner.