Honestly, had I dreamed it and gone to heaven? Geordies the world over must have declared the same thing in glorious unison.
One down to champions Manchester City within five minutes through a badly conceded goal, Bruno booked within seven, and Nick Pope called upon to make two desperate saves with his legs by quarter of an hour was up. This was heading unerringly only one way.
Well no, it was most certainly not. This is a different United. A passionate, committed, together United.
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So what did we get? In a golden 27th minute our world stood still. Miggy Almiron scored with Allan Saint-Maximin claiming the assist. When did we last witness such decisiveness? Two wide men criticised for not doing precisely that often enough. Making and taking goals.
Before breath could be drawn it got even better. Maxi was an absolute marvel, a magician, the player we all want him to be and he insists he is.
He served up another assist ten minutes later and unbelievably, deservedly, Newcastle were ahead. A twirling corkscrew of a run had John Stones on toast and Callum Wilson moved inside Ruben Dias as though he was Gray's Monument to fire past a stranded and shell shocked Ederson.
Dearie me. United were supposed to fold under a relentless and early City onslaught but they stood up to champions used to bullying opposition and hit them where it hurts.
Both goals had been coming. Almiron had missed a sitter before he flung himself at the ball to bundle in the equaliser and United stayed committedly relentless.
Could Newcastle keep it up second-half? You betya, you betya, you betya!
As early as the 53rd minute Kieran Trippier, thrown out by City as not good enough when a kid, curled one of his trademark free-kicks high into Ederson's net. 3-1.
Yet we knew deep in our hearts that City are serial champions because they are never beaten and in the space of less than four minutes they scored twice to be level. First Erling Haaland left-footed past Pope who had been outstanding and then Bernardo Silva ran brilliantly into space to finish. How he will be missed if City allow him to go the way of Gabriel Jesus and Raheem Sterling before the transfer window closes.
A tide which had ebbed and flowed - a magnificent match for the neutral, a nerve shredder for the biased - looked to have gone for United in the 73rd minute when Aussie referee Jarred Gillett sent off Trippier. However just as outside intervention was needed to rightly award United's 1-1 equaliser a monitor check saw red turned to yellow and so on we went. 3-3, 11 v 11.
Were these the only two sides not to have conceded a goal before kick off? A six goal thriller was ours and so it went on until the final whistle. I swear the ball had to be carried off on a stretcher it was so exhausted!
If we thought the final home game of last season against Arsenal was perfect then the emotion, the dripping drama, the passion, and sheer exhaustion was off the radar.
Not often can a goalkeeper who had conceded three at home be hailed as a hero but Pope was that amongst a pantheon of superstars.
Maxi was at his maximum, Joelinton worked like a beaver, Almiron rose way above mediocre, Trippier led like the skipper he is, Wilson proved what he brings to this team.
And then there is Eddie Howe. He had lost all 12 of his PL games against City, the biggest 100 per cent losing record any manager had against an opponent but he is a different man these days just as Newcastle United are a different club.
United wish to be City one day. Well, they can be. They have proved they are closing the gap that little bit. The year 2022 is turning out to be a brilliant one.
Howe and United are growing together, blossoming and bringing hope to a crowd more abused than any other over the last decade and a half. Long may the partnership continue.
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