Newcastle 0 Manchester United 4

There hasn’t been a transformation like this in football since Emmanuel Eboue went from boo-boy to folk hero because when Thomas Vermaelen scored a dramatic last-minute goal against Newcastle it turned the Emirates into a cauldron of passion and Arsenal into serious contenders for third place.

Newcastle boss Alan Shearer is hoping Obafemi Martins’ unpredictability could be a lethal weapon during the closing weeks of a difficult season.