MANCHESTER: Manchester United and an unusually goal-shy Cristiano Ronaldo were unable to find a way past Newcastle United at Old Trafford in the Premier League on Sunday in a 0-0 draw that kept both teams in the top six.

Showing a passion and solidity sometimes lacking from their hosts, Eddie Howe’s Newcastle had the best chance of the game with an extraordinary double header from Joelinton in the first half that came first off the crossbar then off the post.

Newcastle’s Callum Wilson also had a strong penalty shout denied.

Feted before the game for reaching 700 club goals in his career, Ronaldo twice had the ball in the back of the net. But he was offside for the first, while the second was disallowed when he cheekily nicked the ball off Newcastle to stroke the ball into the net after claiming a free kick had been taken.

Ronaldo has only scored twice this season for Manchester United, with some pundits already declaring the twilight of his brilliant career. The result left Manchester United fifth on 16 points, with Newcastle sixth on 15 points with one more game played. (Reporting by Andrew Cawthorne; Editing by Hugh Lawson).