Manchester United 1-1 Newcastle United

Not the best of starts to the season as we only manage to get a draw against Keegan's men. I have been a bit apprehensive about the start of the season as injuries, suspensions and a lack of punch up front in the pre season friendlies suggested to me we may see a similar start to the campaign as we saw last season. Against that it was Newcastle at home and our record against them over the decade is such that you just expect us to turn up and collect the usual three points. But to be fair to them they put up more of show than they have done recently, and with United not really in the groove yet the longer the game went on the more the draw seemed the most likely result. In fact when they took the lead i had the dreaded feeling that it might be one of those days. I am glad we went straight up the other end and equalised because when Giggs and Carrick went off we didn't look much like scoring.
Hearing there was no Tevez in the staring line up was an unexpected blow, and a big disappointment as he has been the only stand out player during the pre season matches. With no Ronaldo, Rooney not getting the pre season he would have liked and the inevitable absence of Saha it left us looking a bit lightweight up front. With Campbell coming in for his first full start at Old trafford it put a lot of responsibility on Rooney's shoulders and although he did ok in the first half he never truly looked like he was 100% fit to me. United could have had a penalty when a Giggs free kick was handled by Milner but i didn't really have a good view of it so i couldn't say whether it should have been given. Next up Frazier Campbell saw his bullet like diving header somehow kept out by a great reaction save by Given. Who also managed to keep out a shot from first Rooney and then the rebound from Scholes.
Then after about 20 minutes Martins rose unmarked in the area to head home a corner. I don't know who was supposed to be marking him but it was poor defending. Fortunately their lead lasted just 2 minutes as a Giggs cross saw Fletcher steal in at the near post to bundle it home.
It was a big blow to lose Carrick especially when we saw Fergie bring on O'shea on for him. All of a sudden we seem to be struggling for fit midfielders as well as fit forwards. When Giggs had to be taken off in the second half it showed how we are really struggling with injuries as Fergie moved Evra to left midfield, O'shea to left full back and brought on the young Brazilian Possebon. Possebon has looked a nice footballer when i have seen him play for the reserves but whether he will be good enough i don't know. With all our injuries it looks like he may get a few games so maybe we will have more of an idea. Campbell struggled to get involved outside the penalty area but he looks like he is one of those players who comes alive around the box as he forced Given into another excellent save with one of the few real chances that we managed to create in the second half. A vidic header that hit the cross bar was the only other time we really threatened the Geordie goal. With 10 minutes to go the hobbling Campbell was taken off and another young Brazilian Da Silva came on, he has had some rave reviews, and this was the first time i have seen him in the flesh. He looks useful and almost won us a penalty in the last minute as a brilliant piece of skill saw a geordie defender desperately bring him down just outside the area that unfortunately Rooney completely wasted.
So we start the season with a home draw, exactly the same as we did last season. We could do with getting Berbatov and getting some of our injured men back for the Portsmouth game. I know they were dire against the rent boys yesterday, but you would expect them to be a different proposition on their own patch.

The match report from the Guardian
http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/2008/aug/18/premierleague.manchesterunited1

Tottenham remain reluctant to sell Berbatov according to the Independent
http://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football/transfers/tottenham-keen-to-keep-berbatov-901159.html

Berbatov wants his dream move according to the guardian
http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/2008/aug/18/premierleague.middlesbrough

I went to Dulcimers in Chorlton on friday night and had a good night, it was a pity you couldn't hear the music downstairs as well as you could upstairs, that aside though i will definitely be going again.
http://www.manchesterbars.com/dulcimer.htm

Jason Burke on the resignation of Musharraf
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2008/aug/18/pakistan1

Charlie Brooker on the Olympic opening ceremony
http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2008/aug/18/china.olympics2008
And brain surgery
http://www.guardian.co.uk/culture/2008/aug/16/television.charliebrooker