Sport 21-08-2000 Manchester United In Fine Form At Old Trafford Debut who: Manchester United what: Beat Newcastle United 2-0 where: Old Trafford, MANCHESTER when: Yesterday snippet: "Yesterday Old Trafford`s biggest crowd for 64 years watched Manchester United pick up the thread of success with the air of men who did not intend dropping any more stitches this season than they did last," says David Lacey in The Guardian, reporting on the title-holders` 2000-2001 season Premiership debut against Newcastle United which ended in a very comfotable 2-0 defeat. "Ronny Johnsen and Andy Cole both scored," says Henry Winter in The Telegraph, "but, alarmingly for their rivals, what really impressed about Manchester United was that their spine seemed even stronger than before". "The defending champions... produced a performance of style, skill, speed and sophistication," agrees The Sun`s Steven Howard. "Any misguided belief that last Sunday`s lethargic defeat by Chelsea in the Charity Shield may have been some pointer towards a lessening of United`s determination was swept away". "Sir Alex Ferguson then sent further shivers down the spines of his fellow Premiership managers," reveals Oliver Kay in The Times, "by confirming that Ruud van Nistelrooy, the Holland forward, will be returning in October." "It`s daunting, really," says Newcastle manager Bobby Robson. "You are 2-0 down and on come Dwight Yorke and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer and you think: `That`s clever, Alex`. And then you hear that he`s going to buy Van Nistelrooy and you think: `That`s even more clever`." [... more]

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