Michael Walker FA Cup
At times it was tense, at times it was unconvincing, there were even times when it looked as though it might not happen at all, but ultimately, as they say, class will prove decisive and a touch of it from Alan Shearer last Sunday delivered Newcastle United their first FA Cup final appearance since 1974.
The ghosts of the 3-0 mauling by Liverpool on that day may at last be laid to rest; similarly the ghouls of this season – Stevenage, Dublin, Marbella – that have turned Newcastle from the United Kingdom’s favourite club to the butt of many a joke. But assuming Arsenal qualify for the Champions League, Newcastle are now in Europe, via a place in the Cup Winners’ Cup.
On paper, even in terms of kits, Arsenal versus Newcastle offers a classic final. But if Newcastle are to win it they will surely have to find someone apart from Shearer who can put the ball in the net when the opportunity arises.
Andreas Andersson has not done that since his arrival from Milan two months and seven games ago, and the Swede failed conspicuously to do so again.
Had he taken either of two glittering chances in the opening half-hour, Newcastle’s passage to Wembley would have been considerably smoother. Overall, Newcastle were the better team, but the slimness of their lead and Sheffield United’s refusal to panic meant that the Northeast required an athletic fingertip save by Shay Given from Wayne Quinn’s stooping header two minutes from time, and Nicos Dabizas’s brave double block of Graham Stuart’s shot to save their blushes.
Dabizas’s intervention capped an impressive display by the recently signed Greek international but it was an indication of the Blades’ threat that he was seen so frequently.
Newcastle only truly settled after Andersson’s 20th-minute run on goal. David Batty manoeuvred it with a clever, fast pass that changed the angle of attack. Shearer flicked it on to Andersson but, just as it seemed he would shoot, the Swede fell over as Alan Kelly met him on the penalty spot, although a lucky deflection off Andersson still needed scooping off the line by Sandford.
Nilsen made the next goal-line clearance, soon afterwards, and Holdsworth provided a third before the interval. In between, a powerful header from Gary Speed clipped the woodwork and once Newcastle regained control 10 minutes into the second half the efforts continued to come.
On the hour, so did Shearer. Speed did well on the left, slipping a neat ball between two defenders to Pearce; his curling centre was met by Shearer’s forehead. Kelly parried but Shearer’s sharpness brought him to the rebound ahead of all challengers.
It was his fifth FA Cup goal this season and, more importantly, his third winner. And never mind Wembley, it represented Newcastle’s first victory at Old Trafford for 26 years.