Manchester United held at home by Newcastle, what did we learn?

Wayne Rooney has already claimed 12 Premier League goals against the Magpies in a Manchester United shirt, and the England skipper will be determined to add to his tally as Louis van Gaal’s side attempt to maintain their unbeaten start to the season. “I know that.” Rooney, who turns 30 in October, has not started a season as United’s main striker since 2011, but he rejected the suggestion that it may take time for him to re-adjust.

Newcastle, though, remains without a win in the first three games under Steve McClaren, a former assistant manager at United. A dominant United with eight shots on target and none for Newcastle and 70-30 possession advantage failed to hit the ball past Newcastle’s Dutch goalkeeper Tim Krul and settled for just a point.

One such question revolves around the current Manchester United attack and whether it and captain Wayne Rooney can be effective this season.

Summer signing Memphis Depay turning on the style with two magnificent strikes will have had some Geordies wincing from their sofas too.

The comments from Alex Ferguson that predicated Kevin Keegan’s remarkable “I would love it if we beat them” rant were not that incendiary.

While there have just been two goals in their two Premier League matches so far, the team has started with back-to-back wins. United have to watch out for this as it could be a problem for them later on in the season.

“I’m delighted with both the performance and the result”, he said. But Van Gaal insisted he was happy to end the transfer window with his current squad and that he had full faith in Woodward. The same can not be said of Newcastle, who are for sure without several key rotation players and quite possibly will have to do without a pair of starters, including the heartbeat of their attack in Moussa Sissoko.

I think Benteke would have been a very good buy for Manchester United because he’s an out and out centre-forward and Rooney can then afford to go deep and play off the centre-forward.

“That is always the way of things – and probably his best is still to come”.

Van Gaal introduced Michael Carrick, Hernandez and Antonio Valencia in the second half and Krul had to save from Luke Shaw before spreading himself brilliantly to block a close-range effort from Hernandez. It appears as though his first touch is starting to get better, as at display in the Brugge game with that phenomenal back-flick to Memphis from the ball in by Darmian. And if United are to do so, home games against the likes of the Toons are must-wins.