Ronaldo Watches United Draw

Cristiano Ronaldo could only watch on from the sidelines as Manchester United failed to put the ball in the back of the net - and were held in their opening day match against Newcastle.

His side's preparations were hit by the absence of striker Carlos Tevez, who flew home to Argentina following a family bereavement. That led to Fraizer Campbell making his first Premier League start for the club, leading the line with Wayne Rooney who had recovered from a virus.

It was a frantic start to the game, proper end-to-end start-of-the-season stuff, with the two Uniteds taking it in turns to launch an attack.

The Red Devils thought they should have had a penalty when Giggs' free-kick struck Milner on the hand, while Shay Given remarkably saved Campbell's point-blank header with his own head. Given made a magnificent double save too, from Rooney's low right-foot drive and then Paul Scholes' close-range follow-up.

But Newcastle, who were destroyed 6-0 in the corresponding fixture last season, were in no mood to lie down this time and they created a host of chances themselves. Impressive new signing Jonas Gutierrez should have had a free-kick on the edge of the United box when he was bundled over by Vidic, before they took the lead.

Milner swung over a corner from the right and Martins rose unchallenged to power a header past Edwin van der Sar and into the net.

But with defender Steven Taylor off the pitch receiving treatment, the home team almost immediately got themselves back on level terms. Giggs found space down the left and sent over a low cross, Fletcher timing his run to perfection to divert the ball past Given and into the net.

At the other end Campbell was struggling to make an impression, though he did come to life with one run and shot that forced another brilliant low one-handed save from the ever reliable Given.

But they rarely looked like breaking Newcastle down and Vidic's downward header that looped up on to the bar apart, the visitors saw out the game in relative comfort.

Man Utd: Van der Sar, Brown, Vidic, Ferdinand, Evra, Fletcher, Carrick (O'Shea 25), Scholes, Giggs (Possebon 63), Campbell (Rafael Da Silva 80), Rooney.
Subs Not Used: Kuszczak, Neville, Evans, Gibson.

Booked: Campbell, Brown, Rooney.

Goals: Fletcher 24.

Newcastle: Given, Beye, Taylor, Coloccini, N'Zogbia, Milner, Butt, Guthrie, Gutierrez, Duff, Martins.
Subs Not Used: Harper, Jose Enrique, Bassong, Smith, Geremi, Edgar, Donaldson.

Goals: Martins 22.

Att: 75,512.

Ref: Mike Riley (Yorkshire).

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