Referee blunder denies Newcastle

Manchester United 0, Newcastle 0

Durkin earned the admiration of Magpies boss Bobby Robson and opposite number Alex Ferguson in admitting he had blundered by failing to give the visitors a first-half spot-kick when Tim Howard floored Alan Shearer as they chased Gary Neville’s under-hit back pass during the goalless draw.

“If I had seen the incident clearly I would have given it,” admitted Durkin. “I was expecting the ball to be played upfield, so I was a long way off when it happened and I wasn’t certain there had been any contact.

“It’s disappointing because you like to get the big decisions right but you only get a split second. I looked at it again on TV and Newcastle can count themselves unfortunate,” he said.

While Ferguson claimed the error was the major reason behind the Portland official’s decision to disallow Mikael Silvestre’s second-half effort, Robson was more philosophical.

“At least he is being honest,” said the Magpies boss.

“It’s nice to hear someone admit they have made a mistake and there is not much we can do about it now.”

Even Shearer, who initially claimed he would never expect to get a penalty in front of the Stretford End against the club he twice refused to join, had nothing but praise for Durkin’s admission.

“It is refreshing to find a referee big enough to say he has made a mistake,” said the former England captain.

“I have always thought he was one of our best referees and there are not many who would be brave enough to do what he has done,” he said.

Ferguson agreed the visitors should have had a penalty but was equally certain Silvestre’s strike was legal, even though Durkin claimed he stood by his decision to rule out the goal for the defender’s tug on Andy O’Brien.

“Paul has had the courage to admit he made one mistake and I admire that but I thought he got himself out of a hole with the second decision,” said the United boss.

“As far as I am concerned, there was nothing wrong with Mikael’s goal but he knows he made the previous mistake and his used his old head to even things out,” said Ferguson.

The result suited both sides as it maintained Newcastle’s top-four hopes and allowed the Red Devils to leap-frog Arsenal at the Premiership summit.

It came at a cost for United though as Ryan Giggs has already been ruled out of next Saturday’s trip to Wolves after pulling a muscle in his back in the first-half. Other than the moments of controversy it was a strangely lacklustre match between two of the Premiership’s most attacking outfits.

Although Shay Given was the busier of the two keepers, saving well from Paul Scholes, Diego Forlan and Quinton Fortune, Newcastle came closest to breaking the deadlock when Jermaine Jenas headed Laurent Robert’s corner against the bar.

A draw was a fair result and although it ended the home side’s eight-match winning streak, gave them a single-point advantage over Arsenal in a title race Chelsea are still involved in after their victory at Leicester.

“All the teams involved will drop one or two points between now and the end of the season but the important thing today was that we maintained our momentum,” he said.

MAN UTD: Howard, Gary Neville (Bellion 80), Ferdinand, Silvestre, O’Shea, Kleberson, Phil Neville (Fortune 69), Keane, Giggs (Forlan 45), Scholes, van Nistelrooy.

NEWCASTLE: Given, Hughes, Woodgate, O’Brien, Bernard, Solano (Ambrose 82), Jenas, Speed, Robert, Dyer, Shearer.

Referee: P Durkin.