Alex Ferguson was forced to leave Juan Sebastian Veron on the bench as his injury-ravaged Manchester United side looked to extend a 30-year unbeaten home record against Newcastle at Old Trafford this afternoon.
The Argentinian only returned from international duty in Japan yesterday afternoon after a punishing 17-hour return journey from the Far East and with a Champions League trip to Basle looming on Tuesday, Ferguson felt Veron was too tired to start.
It meant a rare starting berth for Diego Forlan in a side lacking Roy Keane, Rio Ferdinand, David Beckham, Nicky Butt and Gary Neville through injury, plus the suspended Phil Neville.
At least Ryan Giggs was fit for the home side, although the effects of a midweek trip to Azerbaijan could not be underestimated.
Newcastle were boosted by the return of speedy striker Craig Bellamy from a knee injury but lost Hugo Viana to a similar problem and Gary Caldwell was suspended from the side which defeated Southampton last weekend.
Man Utd: Barthez, O'Shea, Brown, Blanc, Silvestre, Solskjaer, Scholes, Fortune, Giggs, Forlan, van Nistelrooy. Subs: Ricardo, Veron, Chadwick, Roche, Richardson.
Newcastle: Given, Griffin, Dabizas, O'Brien, Hughes, Jenas, Dyer, Speed, Bernard, Shearer, Bellamy. Subs: Elliott, Solano, Acuna, Harper, Ameobi.
Referee: S Dunn