Manchester United have produced an outstanding display of brilliant attacking football to demolish Newcastle United 6-2 at St James' Park and move three points ahead of Arsenal in the race for the title.
A hat-trick from Paul Scholes and goals from Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, Ryan Giggs and Ruud Van Nistelrooy (penalty) wiped out an opening goal from Jermaine Jenas which gave Newcastle the lead after 21 minutes.
But United, playing on Saturday without the injured David Beckham, recovered brilliantly to inflict only Newcastle's second home defeat of the season and in the process finished off the Magpies already faint championship hopes.
United now lead the table with 70 points from 33 matches, ahead of Arsenal on 67 from 32 and Newcastle 61 from 33. Arsenal are without a league match this weekend when they meet Sheffield United in the semi-final of the FA Cup.
But the Gunners next match is against United in what could effectively be the title decider at Highbury next Wednesday. They will meet a United side who put the disappointment of Tuesday's 3-1 defeat to Real Madrid in the Champions League behind them in the most emphatic way possible.
Newcastle took the lead after 21 minutes with a superb goal from Jermaine Jenas who lashed in a first-time shot from 20 metres after United failed to clear a Newcastle free kick.
Solskjaer equalised after 32 minutes when he beat the offside trap and showed great individual skill by chesting the ball down and shooting on the turn past Shay Given.
Scholes first goal came after a crisp passing move by United which he ended by volleying a one-two with Solskjaer through Given's legs. His second was set up by a typically jinking run by Giggs which Scholes lashed wide and high of the Newcastle keeper.
United went 4-1 up just before halftime when Giggs scored after Newcastle failed to clear when a shot from defender John O'Shea bounced back into play after hitting the bar.
Scholes completed his hat-trick after 52 minutes when he planted a cross from substitute Gary Neville wide of Given. The sixth came five minutes later when Van Nistelrooy sent Given the wrong way from the penalty spot after Titus Bramble had tripped substitute Diego Forlan in the box.
Newcastle pulled one back two minutes from time after a poor Barthez clearance allowed Shola Ameobi to grab a consolation.
The match continued the high-scoring sequence between the teams and gave Sir Alex Ferguson the double over Sir Bobby Robson this season after their 5-3 victory over Newcastle at Old Trafford in November.
Alex Ferguson believes Ruud van Nistelrooy is key to Manchester United's chances of overtaking Arsenal in the premier league.
The striker has scored 35 times for United in all competitions this season and grabbed the important away goal in the 3-1 Champions League defeat by Real Madrid on Tuesday.
"Ruud is improving in every department. You can't believe how much improvement he has made," Ferguson told reporters on Friday.
"There were two great players on the pitch on Tuesday; he was one and Raul was the other. The two performances for forward players were absolutely outstanding."
Ferguson has attempted to lift United by telling them they were not outclassed by Real Madrid.
United face third placed Newcastle in the premier league on Saturday in Ferguson's 650th top flight game in charge at Old Trafford.
"They have taken part in one fantastic game of football. For a 10-minute period in the first half they were a little bit mesmerised with some of the football they played.
"A lot of it didn't hurt us but it was marvellous to watch. We have looked at the video of the game and in terms of the attacking part we did very well. We controlled some periods of the match, in fact the first two goals were on the counter-attack.
"The nature of European football is that your concentration has to be 100 per cent. You can't afford to make mistakes and we were disappointed with the first two goals."
But he added: "The players shouldn't be ashamed of their performance. You won't get a game as good as that or as intense as that.
"All the Real Madrid players said afterwards they have not had a harder European game."
United are currently level on points with leaders Arsenal, who they play on Wednesday, but need points against a Newcastle side that have lost just one league game at home all season - against Leeds on September 11.
Newcastle can still mathematically win the title although defeat at Everton last week has left them trailing behind United and Arsenal.
Ferguson said: "The Real Madrid game won't knock our confidence at Newcastle. The players are well aware of the stakes.
"They (Newcastle) are not out of the title race, but losing last Sunday has made it more difficult for them. Their last three games are against teams who are down at the bottom.
He added: "They have a great support and the atmosphere is fantastic. It should be a great game of football."
RUUD VAN NISTELROOY grabbed a Champions League lifeline for Manchester United and silenced Real Madrid's dressing room in a thrilling encounter at the Bernabeu Stadium last night.
The Spanish team's galaxy of stars were in breathtaking form for 50 minutes as they ripped United apart.
But after van Nistelrooy headed home when Ryan Giggs shot was only pushed out by home goalkeeper Iker Casillas, United came to life.
Manager Sir Alex Ferguson admitted: "They mesmerised us at times with their passing and they've got some terrific players."
But he insisted his side were not out of the running and were looking forward to the return leg in two weeks' time.
He added: "Their goals were bad goals. If we score at home at Old Trafford the place will come alight.
"It's a fair result. We had our moments and I thought some of our attacking play was good in the second half. We got that vital away goal and that may be the best thing that came out for us tonight."
Former World Player of the Year Luis Figo opened the scoring after just 11 minutes, curling the ball past a helpless Fabien Barthez in the United goal.
And Raul, the leading Champions League scorer of all time, drilled in Real's second in the 28th minute after brilliantly turning Rio Ferdinand.
By this stage United were in total disarray band were lucky to go in at half-time trailing by just 2-0. Raul piled further misery on Fergie's men four minutes after the interval with a majestic drive from outside the box, his 43rd goal in the competition.
But van Nistelrooy's strike changed the complexion of the tie and Steve McManaman, an unused substitute for Real, admitted his team-mates were disappointed to have allowed United a glimmer of hope.
The midfielder, capped 37 times by England, said: "We shouldn't have conceded a goal, it was very quiet in the dressing room after the game.
"United started defensively and looked to hit us on the counter-attack. In the past United have never given us so much possession.
"I felt they backed off and gave us the ball. I don't know if we were a bit naive at 3-0 up.
"If it had finished like that the tie would have been over, but at 3-1 it's still alive. However, we always fancy our chances of scoring."
United's prospects in the second leg at Old Trafford a fortnight today will not be helped by being without Gary Neville and Paul Scholes. Both were ruled out after picking up yellow cards, Neville for a foul on Ronaldo and Scholes for a late tackle on Michael Salgado.
In the other quarter-final played last night, Ajax drew 0-0 with AC Milan.
RAMPANT Ruud van Nistelrooy is set to be the key man as United look to reign in Spain.
Manchester United's 34-goal Dutch striker has been in top form and the onus is on him to give United a foothold when they face Real Madrid in the Bernebau tomorrow (Tuesday).
Four times in United's six appearances in the last eight of the Champions League, the Reds have failed to score in the first leg.
Every time - against Borussia Dortmund in '97, Monaco '98, Real Madrid in 2000 and Bayern Munich in 2001 - United have paid the ultimate price for failing to find the net in the first 90 minutes and were dumped out of Europe.
Now all eyes are on van Nistelrooy in the Bernabeu. And the Dutch hitman, who scored twice against Liverpool from the penalty spot on Saturday, knows that the Reds have given themselves a buoyant platform to make the semi-finals.
"When you see the month we had and then to start off with a 4-0 win against Liverpool then we have to travel to Madrid with confidence," said Ruud.
"We have got to take this confidence to Madrid, then on to Newcastle next week and continue it right to the end of the season."
Ruud van Nistelrooy took centre stage at Old Trafford as he converted two penalties in Manchester United's 4-0 win over 10-man Liverpool.
Sir Alex Ferguson's troops went into the early showdown looking to avenge their Worthington Cup final defeat by their arch rivals at The Millennium Stadium earlier this season.
And they were handed the perfect start after just four minutes when the visitors were reduced to 10 men.
Paul Scholes, playing just behind van Nistelrooy, fed a sliderule pass to the Dutchman in the penalty box. Hyypia was beaten for pace and after tugging the striker to the ground, referee Mike Riley gave the towering Finn his marching orders and van Nistelrooy converted the resultant spot-kick.
It was the prolific United hitman's 16th league goal and 33rd of a blistering campaign which has put his side in the frame for Premiership and Champions League glory.
But after boss Gerard Houllier reshuffled his pack and drafted Igor Biscan into central defence alongside Djimi Traore, Liverpool steadied the ship and responded well to the early setback.
Emile Heskey was ploughing a lone furrow in attack, and the visitors could only manage a long-range shot from Dietmar Hamann in the opening 20 minutes.
But they were grateful for another Reid decision on 15 minutes when he ruled out Mikael Silvestre's close-range volley from Jerzy Dudek's weak punch, deeming the keeper had been impeded by challenging duo Rio Ferdinand and Wes Brown.
Liverpool refused to let their heads drop and slowly started to pose problems for the hosts, who were struggling to get out of cruise control.
John Arne Riise and Hamann both wasted good chances 10 minutes before the interval when they failed to get left-footed shots on target.
And after Silvestre and Giggs had goalbound efforts cleared off the line, Houllier's men dominated proceedings but just could not find a way through United's rearguard.
The second half was a different story, though, and Giggs gave a sign of things to come when he drew a fantastic save out of Dudek with a thumping 20-yard volley on 57 minutes.
United simply stepped up a gear and doubled their lead when Biscan fouled Scholes in the box and van Nistelrooy lashed home an identical spot-kick on 65 minutes.
The goal broke Liverpool's resistance, and it was 3-0 when Giggs clinically converted a sublime cross from David Beckham, who came off the bench after being rested following his England exploits against Turkey.
The hosts were simply ruthless in the closing stages, and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer wrapped up a four-star performance when he rattled a fierce shot past Dudek at his near post.
The win saw United leapfrog Arsenal once again in a thrilling title chase, but the Gunners will fancy their chances of taking all three points from their clash with Aston Villa.
RUUD SPOT ON AS UNITED HIT NEWCASTLE FOR SIX
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