Manchester United 0 Newcastle United 1: Alan Pardew praises victory as one of his 'top moments' while David Moyes hopes for light at the end of the tunnel

Magpies secured their first win at Old Trafford since 1972 condemning United and Moyes to back-to-back home defeats in the Premier League

David Moyes is hoping for light at the end of the tunnel after Manchester United's 1-0 defeat to Newcastle (GETTY IMAGES)

Newcastle boss Alan Pardew has warned Manchester United they may have to endure the kind of misery they suffered in the darkest days of Sir Alex Ferguson's reign before emerging into a bright new era under David Moyes.

Yohan Cabaye's second-half goal was enough to earn Newcastle their first win at Old Trafford in 41 years, and condemn United to back-to-back home defeats in the Premier League for the first time since 2002.

Yet those losses against Middlesbrough and Arsenal were separated by six weeks. It is 1989 since United were last beaten in successive league games on home soil with nothing in between.

The first of those was the famous day when supporters unveiled a banner proclaiming 'Ta-ra Fergie' in response to a defeat by Crystal Palace.

Pardew knows from painful experience how Sir Alex Ferguson managed to rescue the situation by beating a Palace side he was part of in the FA Cup final, setting himself up for the most successful managerial stint in British football history.

"I have great respect for David," said Pardew.

"But I remember the FA Cup final in 1990 when they scored with eight minutes to go. They got out of jail because we should have won.

"They stood by him. David might have to have a year like that where it's touch and go but he'll come through it because he's a strong man."

Nevertheless, Moyes is being dealt some severe blows at present, and his side were predictably booed off at the final whistle.

"Manchester United supporters have been great to me and the club," said Moyes.

"They understand there's a great transition going on here.

"I don't think they or me expected us to have lost five games at this stage of the season.

"But it's the same players that won the Premier League last year, everybody's aware of that.

"We do need a bit of good fortune to get us under way and that didn't quite come for us.

"But I am confident it will because I am working with the champions."

What must have been concerning for Moyes was the lack of fight from his team once they had fallen behind.

United's most sustained spell of pressure came when Patrice Evra crashed a header against a post that bounced back into Vernon Anita's hand.

A penalty at that stage would have changed the entire complexion of the game.

As it was, referee Andre Marriner said no, allowing Cabaye to claim the spoils.

"His hand definitely stops the ball going in the net, that's undoubted," said Moyes.

"You can decide whether it was a penalty or not but his hand stopped it on the line."

For all the inquests at United, Newcastle revelled in their success.

Their long-suffering supporters were still singing Cabaye's name 15 minutes after the final whistle, most of them not even alive in 1972 when the Magpies last tasted victory in the stadium.

"It's a long time isn't it?" said Pardew, who was 10 at the time.

"Sometimes when you get victories of this manner it's difficult to digest straight away and obviously the headlines might be elsewhere, but I hope the players get credit for their performance.

"I could still hear our fans singing when I was down the tunnel. It's a huge win for them.

"I knew our players were very conscious of those 41 years and were determined to put that right, although it is easier said than done."

PA