Manchester United 0-0 Newcastle United: Red devils frustrated at Old Trafford [Match report]

Manchester United 0-0 Newcastle United: Red devils held by Newcastle [Match report]

Fabricio Coloccini played the devil's advocate at Old Trafford as Manchester United and Newcastle settled for a nerve wrecking goalless draw. Records are against Steve McLauren's men, they hardly find joy in this fixture, and not one would have expected a barren outcome.

Taylor, Ayoze Perez and Mitrovic all replaced Janmaat who was suspended from the loss to Swansea, Sissoko who's out injured and Cisse in the Newcastle line up for the lunchtime kickoff of week three in the Barclays Premier League at Old Trafford.

Louis Van Gaal handed a sensational start to Bastian Schweinstegger for a dream partnership with fellow recruit Morgen Schneiderlin, it was Manchester United who got off the block firing and even got the ball in the Newcastle net as early as 4th minute when Rooney's lob beat Tim Krul but was ruled offside.

Memphis Depay, the midweek hero and Juan Mata all had early chances as well but Krul either thwarted them or they had their shots blocked.

The Dutch forward however was guilty of poor first touch when fed on a counter by Adnan Januzaj, though he rounded Tim Krul but his faulty layoff to Wayne Rooney never got to the England striker, before then, against the run of play, Mitrovic could have broken the deadlock, his devilish header cannoned off the crossbar and back into play.

United mustered 6 shots on target in the opening 20minutes to Newcastle's none but Newcastle threatened as the half wore out with Ayoze forcing Romero to push a one time strike behind for a corner, Luke Shaw struggled on the left with the pace of former Old Trafford boy Gabriel Obertan while Bastian Schweinsteiger did nothing of note all half long as the two sides entertained from end to end in the goalless first installment.

Newcastle spent the entire second half in their own half as they defended deep, again, in the opening stages, the Magpies could have won it with some tantalizing counter attack that saw Papis Cisse dilly dallying inside Daley Blind before dragging his shot wide.

The star of the day has to be Newcastle skipper Colocini who singlehandedly saw to every attack of United, he was on hand to block Antonio Valencia's close range volley off a Depay cut back, he cleared off the line minutes later to deny Smalling and was rock strong again as Rooney prepared to shoot at the death.

Javier Hernandez could have scored too, his close range effort was repelled by the outstretched legs of Tim Krul, Van Gaal must analyze from here a channel a way forward.

 Questions remain of Wayne Rooney's competence as United's sole striker, this even makes the Pedro saga hurt more, but from Newcastle's point of view, it's a point to savour from a trip to remember.