Manchester United 1-1 Newcastle United

A controversial Demba Ba penalty saw Newcastle steal a point at Old Trafford after Javier Hernandez had opened the scoring. Hernandez's deflected goal opened the scoring on 49 minutes, but Ba levelled from the spot just after the hour mark when Rio Ferdinand was adjudged to have brought down Hatem Ben Arfa in the box. The visitors never looked like pushing on and winning though, and when Jonas Gutierrez received his second yellow card on 78 minutes the stage was set for a thrilling finale. Desperate not to drop points in the title race, the hosts piled forward and created plenty of chances. Just three minutes after Gutierrez's dismissal Patrice Evra teed up a shot on the edge of the box and Tim Krul was at full stretch to tip it around the post. Moments later Nani found Ashley Young free in the box and his shot beat the Newcastle keeper and hit the foot of the post. With no real outlet up front Newcastle struggled to clear their lines properly and another corner was flicked goalwards by Hernandez only for Danny Simpson to make a remarkable goal line clearance. The home side kept on coming and it looked like they had snatched all three points when Hernandez tapped home from close range, but the linesman's flag was up and Newcastle walked away with a draw. It was all a far cry from a second half which never really got going. The visitors were industrious, closing down their opponents all over the pitch and Manchester United were unable to dictate the tempo of the game in the manner they would have liked. There were chances though, and Krul had to pull off an impressive save when Ryan Giggs got a toe on Fabio's cross, while at the other end Ryan Taylor kicked thin air when presented with a chance of a volley deep inside the 18-yard box. But it took until the second half for the game to really get going. The hosts took the lead early on. Wayne Rooney's freekick was dinked into the wall, but the rebound fell for him and he lashed in a shot. The ball then hit Steven Taylor, before bouncing off Hernandez and past a helpless Krul. If the visitors felt hard done by in the manner in which they conceded, their luck returned 15 minutes later when Ferdinand made what looked like a good challenge on Ben Arfa only for the linesman to flag for a penalty. His team-mates were incensed, but after the fuss had died down Ba stepped up to tuck home an excellent spot kick. The home side then shifted up through the gears and they were already in the ascendancy by the time Gutierrez saw red. But a backs-to-the-wall effort from the Newcastle defence and some fantastic saves from Krul somehow kept them at bay. Sir Alex Ferguson will rightly be furious at the penalty decision, but of more pressing concern is the fact Manchester City will have the chance to go seven points clear tomorrow. For Newcastle though, the good times roll on.

Match Report Stoke 1 Newcastle 3

Demba Ba – who almost joined Stoke earlier this year – haunted the Potters on Halloween night, by returning as a Newcastle United player to score a brilliant hat-trick in a 3-1 win which lifts Alan Pardew’s unbeaten side into third place in the Barclays Premier League. Ba, who scored a hat-trick for Newcastle earlier in the season, was all set to sign for Stoke from Hoffenheim in January, but failed a medical. He joined West Ham instead, and following the Londoners’ relegation returned to the top-flight with Newcastle. Booed by Stoke supporters from the start, he had an astonishing impact on this match, heading home an opener after 12 minutes, adding a second after 40 minutes, then completing a treble from the penalty spot with nine minutes left. In between, he also conceded a penalty for a push on Peter Crouch, which Jonathan Walters converted to pull Stoke briefly back into the match. But Ba’s third goal ended Stoke’s resistance, and Newcastle headed north buoyed by yet another excellent result in what is developing into a terrific season. Newcastle had not won a league match at Stoke since 1985 but their start to the campaign meant they were confident to take the game to their hosts. And it paid off as they scored with their first genuine chance in the 12th minute. Goalkeeper Tim Krul’s kick was headed on by Leon Best to Gabriel Obertan, who found himself in plenty of space behind left-back Marc Wilson. The Frenchman’s inviting cross into the six-yard area picked out Ba and the Senegal international nodded home his sixth league goal in five matches. The Magpies doubled their lead five minutes before the interval when Upson could only help Fabricio Coloccini’s lofted pass on to Best on the right of the penalty area and he mis-hit a shot low for Ba to tap in his second. Referee Mike Dean handed Stoke a lifeline when he adjudged that Ba had shoved Crouch over in a crowded penalty box, and Walters converted, but the official saw a push at the other end which allowed man of the match Ba to complete the hat-trick.

Newcastle Capture Demba Ba

Newcastle manager Alan Pardew has made his second summer transfer breakthrough by finally landing Senegal striker Demba Ba.The 26-year-old former West Ham frontman's move to St James' Park was rubber-stamped on Friday afternoon, the Barclays Premier League club have confirmed.The arrival of Ba, who scored seven times in 13 appearances for the Hammers during the second half of last season, comes 24 hours after Magpies skipper Kevin Nolan headed for Upton Park in a deal believed to be worth in the region of £4million.Pardew said: "Demba made a great impression with West Ham last season and is a great signing for this club."He has pace, excellent technical ability, is good in the air and, it goes without saying, has the ability to consistently find the back of the net."Moreover he has a great passion to play for Newcastle United.''Newcastle beat off competition from a series off other suitors to land the former Hoffenheim player as Pardew looks to increase his options in attack.The player seemed to be heading for Stoke in January until he failed a medical on a knee problem and was snapped up by the Hammers.Despite his best efforts to keep the Londoners in the Premier League, they were relegated at the end of last season, but not before he had proved both his fitness and his prowess in front of goal.Ba arrived on Tyneside yesterday as the Magpies' dogged pursuit neared its conclusion, and was able to convince the club's medics that his knee will not be an issue.He joins Yohan Cabaye in heading for St James' this summer, although is not necessarily a direct replacement for Andy Carroll, who left for Liverpool in January, with Pardew running the rule over a series of other targets.Ba who was born in the Paris suburb of Sevres and is one of eight children began his career with Rouen.Asked why he had chosen to sign for Newcastle, Ba told Sky Sports News: "First of all, because the team they have this season."With the new signing from last week, Yohan Cabaye, and all the players they have, it is a really interesting challenge."Coming to Newcastle, a big club, that was the reason why I made this move."I can't wait to start playing here. I am very excited."I have never played here. I came to West Ham a couple of days after they played here against Newcastle."I can't wait to start playing here and see how good the stage is.''