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Spirited Newcastle ties United

Manchester United's Park Ji-sung, right, battle his way past Newcastle's Jame Milner during their English Premier League soccer match at St James' Park, Newcastle, England, on Monday. PHOTO: AP

Alex Ferguson has played down the significance of the points Manchester United missed out on at Newcastle in their opening Premiership encounter of this year.

United missed an opportunity to put maximum pressure on Chelsea, who were due to play Aston Villa later yesterday, when they were held to a 2-2 draw at St James' Park.

But Ferguson insisted he was happy just to see his side in front of the champions and admitted that Newcastle had deserved their point while playing down the significance of his side's dropped points.

"Obviously we missed a stack of chances, but you have to admire the spirit and character of the Newcastle team," Ferguson said. "They deserved a point without question."

On the title race, Ferguson said: "There will be points dropped by both teams."

"It is a real challenge for the championship now. I said at the start of December that if we were top on New Year's Day I would be delighted and that is the position we are in. Chelsea are not getting their way as they did in the last two years," he said.

In contrast to United, Liverpool began this year in dream style with a 3-0 win over Bolton that allowed Rafael Benitez's side to leapfrog their opponents into third place in the table.

But it was a New Year's Day to forget for relegation-threatened West Ham, who suffered a 6-0 thrashing at the hands of Reading.

Manchester United had looked like they were poised to win at Newcastle when Paul Scholes fired in his second goal of the evening after James Milner had given Newcastle an early lead with a superb 30-yard strike.

But they were denied the three points by Canadian teenager David Edgar, whose long-range shot beat Edwin van der Sar with the help of a deflection 15 minutes from the end of the game.

Bolton, whose tactics had been publicly criticized by Benitez ahead of the match, produced a typically robust performance at Anfield, but their resistance was broken by two goals in as many minutes just after the hour mark.

Peter Crouch scored the first Premiership goal of this year with a bicycle kick.

Steven Gerrard then volleyed another Jermaine Pennant cross into the top corner from just behind the penalty spot.

Dutch forward Dirk Kuyt completed the win six minutes from the end of the game.

The victory left Rafael Benitez's side 13 points adrift of Manchester United. ahead of the Premiership leaders' meeting with Newcastle later on Monday.

Bolton could have slipped out of the top four if Arsenal was able to beat Charlton at the Emirates stadium yesterday.
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