Newcastle United 0 Manchester United 2

Last updated : 28 August 2005 By Footymad Previewer
The misery goes on for winless Newcastle United after two Jean-Alain Boumsong blunders cost them dearly against Manchester United.

Second-half strikes from Wayne Rooney and Ruud van Nistelrooy maintained Manchester United's 100 per cent start to the campaign while shell-shocked Newcastle continue to search for their first goal.

The 360-minute goal drought continued as Newcastle managed just two shots on target to emphasise their lack-lustre approach in front of goal.

Yet Graeme Souness' beleaguered side started off brightly enough with Emre pulling the strings in midfield before his 22nd minute departure with a recurrence of his hamstring injury saw a marked deterioration in Newcastle's display.

And when Kieron Dyer limped off not long afterwards to be followed by Lee Bowyer, Souness' problems escalated.

Boumsong's blunders then compounded the problem with Rooney as influential as ever after 66 minutes and then again with virtually the last kick of the game.

Watched by England boss Sven-Goran Eriksson, the teenage star was awesome as he claimed the opener before setting up the deciding goal in stoppage time.

There appeared to be little danger for the opener as Edwin Van der Sar launched a long clearance forward that Boumsong made a mess of clearing and Rooney nipped in to capitalise as he fired low to Shay Given's left.

Rooney then turned from goalscorer to goal maker when he showed his awesome strength to brush aside substitute Amdy Faye down the right before crossing for van Nistelrooy to score after Boumsong made a complete mess of his attempted clearance.

New £9.5million signing Albert Luque had a quiet game although he did manage one of the two Newcastle shots on target and also had a goal disallowed.

The only other effort worth any merit came from skipper Alan Shearer after 12 minutes, just after he had headed another effort wide.

This time Shearer latched onto a Celestine Babayaro cross and forced an excellent save from Van der Sar who was unable to hold the ball which was rifled into the net by Luque who was clearly in an offside position.