Newcastle United showed further signs of major progress after emerging with a point at Old Trafford. The stalemate kept up the Magpies' unbeaten run and extended the sequence to five matches but there will be genuine disappointment in the Toon camp that they didn't take all three points.
Joelinton twice hit the woodwork in the first half and Callum Wilson could have had a penalty on another day. Although, a couple of key saves from Nick Pope helped ensure a good point which keeps Newcastle in the top six going into their midweek home game with Everton.
Man United had the game's first attack down the left with just two minutes played but the ball was eventually sent well wide by Fred at the Stretford End. But Newcastle soaked up the small amount of early home pressure and enjoyed a couple of openings of their own.
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There was even a penalty shout when Callum Wilson was upended by Raphael Varane in the box but Craig Pawson waved away the protests.
United had a chance from a Kieran Trippier but after his set-play was headed across the six-yard box Bruno Guimaraes' header was gathered by David De Gea on 15 minutes.
A minute later Jacob Murphy made a run through the middle but his effort was gathered by David De Gea.
A Joelinton run into the final third resulted in a free-kick from a good position mid-way through the first period.
And it was Fabian Schar, Miguel Almiron and Kieran Trippier who oversaw the set-play.
Trippier's free-kick struck the wall before the England defender looped the ball back into the box with Joelinton heading against the bar and then the post in an agonising double miss.
Almiron won a free-kick down the right after a foul by Casermiro but Trippier's free-kick could not pick out Joelinton.
Newcastle had to rely on Nick Pope to deny Antony five minutes before the break but the England stopper reacted well to a good chance for the home side.
Dan Burn went into the book for a foul on Ronaldo on 43 minutes leaving the Geordie skating on thin ice.
The two teams went in level at the break after a goal-less but incident-packed first half.
Newcastle had a chance early after the interval but Wilson's effort was dragged wide at the Stretford End with nobody able to get on the end of it at the back post.
Man United's desperation to find a breakthrough was evident after Ronaldo tried to claim Newcastle had taken a free-kick quickly before the Portugal star rounded Pope and slotted it into an empty net.
The incident saw Man United players surround the ref but Pawson didn't award the strike.
Man United's frantic search for the opener continued when Jadon Sancho went down in the hope of a penalty near the hour mark but ref Pawson gave Newcastle a free-kick instead.
Howe introduced Ryan Fraser for Murphy with just under an hour played as the Toon boss tried to cash in on tired legs from the home side - just 48 hours after their Europa League win over Omonia.
The game reached the mid-way point of the second half with the scores level at 0-0.
With 69 minutes on the clock, Man United star Casimero was booked for a foul on Fraser but Trippier's free-kick came to nothing.
Man United made a change with 19 minutes left when Ronaldo went off for Marcus Rashford.
Newcastle then made a bunch of changes for the last 12 minutes as Matt Targett, Chris Wood and Joe Willock came on and Burn, Wilson and Bruno went off.
Willock instantly won a corner with Trippier's quick set-play finding Almiron but his effort flew over the bar.
With just nine minutes to go a Man United free-kick from Rashford flashed over the top of the bar.
Fernandes played in Rashford with two minutes left and after going around Pope - who rushed out - his ball for Fred was poor and the ball went wide.
The fourth official displayed five minutes of stoppage time and with Newcastle players going down with cramp it made for a nervous finish.
Schar limped off for Jamaal Lascelles in Howe's final change of the day at Old Trafford.
In the final minute of the allotted period, Rashford headed wide at the back post.
And that was it, that was Man United's best against a well-organised Newcastle team that will feel they could have won it with better finishing in the first half.
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