Goals from Demba Ba, Yohan Cabaye and a Phil Jones own goal have earned Newcastle United a 3-0 win over Manchester United at the Sports Direct Arena.

The hosts could have been ahead as early as the second minute, but Demba Ba missed the ball from ten yards out.

United goalkeeper Anders Lindegaard was tested soon after, but the Dane was able to hold Cheick Tiote's stinging shot.

Dimitar Berbatov came agonisingly close for the away side when his header shaved the outside of Tim Krul's post.

Wayne Rooney should have done better with 20 minutes played, but was let down by his first touch after he was put through on goal by Ryan Giggs.

Newcastle thought that they should have had a penalty in the 25th minute when Demba Ba was felled following a tangle with Rio Ferdinand. However, referee Howard Webb waved away the appeals.

Demba Ba saw the home side go in ahead at the break when he turned and volleyed into the net after Shola Ameobi had flicked on Krul's long ball.

It took the hosts a minute after the restart to double their lead when Yohan Cabaye's free kick bounced in off the crossbar following Phil Jones's foul on Ba.

Rooney could have pulled one back for United, but his tame shot was cleared off the line by Danny Simpson.

Sir Alex Ferguson's side continued to press, but Hernandez and Rooney were unable to take their chances.

Their misery was compounded late on when a lack of communication between Jones and Lindegaard saw the England defender put the ball into his own net after another long ball from Krul.

The result has seen United slip three points behind league leaders Manchester City, while Newcastle remain seventh but are four points off the Champions League places.