'Too strong': Alan Shearer highlights the big difference between Newcastle United and Manchester United

Newcastle United made light work of their encounter with former-formidable foes Manchester United at St James' Park on Sunday.

There was a time when seeing this fixture coming up would insight nothing but sheer dread, but now it's a welcome game as Newcastle have had the beating of Man United under Eddie Howe, and when you add to that their absolutely insipid form this season, there as only ever really going to be one winner.

Of course, Man United had moments, a Joshua Zirkzee effort that was tipped over the bar by Nick Pope stands out as a thing of beauty, and the Man United goal was well worked, too, but beyond that, the Magpies had very little to worry about.

Alan Shearer was watching on, working for Premier League Productions alongside former Man United and Newcastle man Nicky Butt and an ice-cool David Ginola who had to make do with being the second sexiest thing in the stadium as Sandro Tonali's goal just pipped him to the title.

Alan Shearer heaped praise on Newcastle's midfield against Man United

After the game, Alan Shearer booted up his Nokia 7250 to join Gary Lineker and Micah Richards on The Rest Is Football to talk about the game where he said that Newcastle's midfield were simply too good for Man United to deal with.

"Harvey Barnes was superb. [Sandro] Tonali in the midfield, Bruno [Guimaraes] was running the show. The midfield was just too strong for Man United's midfield and they had too much pace for them at the back.

"It was disappointing, actually, to go in 1-1 at half time. Man United had a couple of chances, took one of them, but Newcastle would have been disappointed because with the chances they created to only have one goal off the back of that."

Newcastle's midfield is about as close to perfect as you can get

Our midfield trio is definitely what makes us the formidable force we are, three very different players working together in perfect harmony, each one seems to know what the other's going to do and where they'll be.

When you have someone who can clatter players like Joelinton does, who can hold up the ball like Bruno and Tonali, who seemingly has an endless amount of energy, you can be confident going into pretty much any game.

It also doesn't hurt to have one of the best strikers in the world in front of them, and players in superb form out wide, but without that engine room, none of it works.