This Newcastle United are the real deal.
It’s 20 years since the Geordies qualified for the Champions League led by Sir Bobby Robson. It’s nearer 30 since they went head to head with Manchester United for the title.
This was, arguably, the most intense, complete team performance a Newcastle side has mustered against the elite since then.
Eddie Howe’s side battered their Old Trafford rivals and soared into third spot. Joe Willock squeezed home the opener and super sub Callum Wilson headed a late clincher.
Erik Ten Hag will be relieved it was only two.
His side felt every bullying ounce of Newcastle’s ferocity as they poured out their agony at losing the Carabao Cup final at Wembley into a landmark win.
The final shot count was 22 to Newcastle, six to Manchester, only one on target.
Newcastle are up to third - their last finish that high was 2003 - ahead of the other United on goal difference, and a point ahead of Spurs with a game in hand.
Ten Hag labelled Newcastle “annoying” before the Wembley citing their game management tactics. “No time-wasting required…” tweeted the Toon’s official club account.
The needle and fight on display showed these two know they are now long term rivals in the top six. The Geordies are not making up the numbers anymore.
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It felt like an occasion - St James’ Park was packed and as noisy as it can get. Every challenge was contested with aggression on and off the pitch. Howe’s players gave everything, and could have been out of sight in the first half, rifling in 12 shots to Manchester’s three.
But it took until the 65th minute for the Geordies to take the lead. Bruno Guimaraes gathered the ball in the box and dinked a cross deep past the far post.
Allan Saint-Maximin rose to head back across goal and Willock flung himself at it to bundle home from a yard.
The unity of the celebration - United’s entire bench sprinting onto the pitch - and the team gathered at the corner flag, served notice of how important a goal it was in the race for the top four.
Wilson came on as a sub, and got his first goal since February. Sean Longstaff won a free kick and Kieran Trippier found Wilson’s head, his fifth assist from a set piece this season.
Man of the match Willock had missed the chance of the opening 45, running on to a bobbling cross from Saint-Maximin, creator of six chances in the game, but blazing badly over from ten yards.
The ex-Arsenal midfielder also forced a save from David De Gea, after Aleksandar Isak’s nod down. And a similar move saw Longstaff’s shot blocked.
The Geordie midfielder was having a top game with real presence and his glancing header flashed just wind, and his best effort, a 25 yard rocket, whistled just past the post.
It was front-footed intensity from the home side. Ten Hag’s side were hanging in there on the break, Antony a pest and Diogo Dalot had a deflected shot saved.
After the break Newcastle kept the pace up. Fab Schar drove a long ranger just wide, and Saint-Maximin continued to give Dalot a tough afternoon.
Sub Anthony Martial went close with ten to go, his shot deflected wide, as the visitors were stifled.
