ONLY Liverpool or Middlesbrough could have prevented. Newcastle returning to the top of the English FA Premiership yesterday and in the end neither could do the necessary. Newcastle leapfrogged Arsenal to go top, a position they occupied a fortnight ago after that startling Manchester United gained.

If that was Newcastle's champion moment then this was their brown ale afternoon. The atmosphere was rowdy ale house from start to finish, and in such an environment it was amusingly fitting that football's resident Mr Tee Total, Peter Beardsley, should prove the difference between the sides.

On his 700th League and Cup appearance, Beardsley scored two goals, one a penalty shortly before half time, the other midway through the second half. He almost nicked a hat trick with a quarter of an hour to go but saw Gary Walsh push his shot river.

Newcastle found immediate consolation nevertheless as Robert Lee got Newcastle's third from the resulting corner - his shot from the edge of the area deflecting off Steve Vickers with the unfortunately Walsh stranded.

Middlesbrough, though understandably deflated, at least managed a reply two minutes from time when their Danish international, Mikkel Beck, put a glossy finish to Phil Stamp's typically earnest run, clipping the ball delicately over the advancing Pavel Srnicek.

In every way it was the goal of the game and that was apt because Middlesbrough's passion merited some reward from a contest to which they contributed massively. Even the most ardent of Geordies could surely find some sympathy for Bryan Robson's view that his side did not deserve to be on the wrong end of such a scoreline.

"I didn't think Newcastle cut us up at all," said the Middlesbrough manager. "We had a lot of possession and then we go to sleep. It was similar at Chelsea, we had a mad five minutes at the back."

The shortcomings in that department will have to be addressed by Robson if Middlesbrough are not to swirl into a downward spiral of Nottingham Forest proportions. Some might say they are already in one as they came into this match not having won in the League since mid September.

Yet their endeavour here was apparent from the first whistle. Emerson, Juninho. Phil Stamp and Robbie Mustoe may be an unusual quartet but the combination of talent ensured Middlesbrough had a on the early play. And what a to red opening it was. A series of niggling confrontations stoked the temperature with Robson up off the bench complaining about a fifth minute challenge by David Batty on Ernerson.

Cox had previously been booked for a reckless lunge at Robbie Elliott who took a measure of revenge on Beck and also saw yellow. Batty, unsurprisingly, was booked too and Newcastle were rattled.

Yet Middlesbrough created only one clear chance in this their best spell and though Mustoe controlled Beck's perfect pass, he then sent a panicky shot well over Srnicek's bar.

It was half an hour before Walsh needed to make a save, from a Beardsley snap shot, but the incident gave Newcastle impetus. Derek Whyte and Vickers, like bungling sergeant majors, did not help the cause by twice giving the ball straight to Faustino Asprilla and Batty and then Stamp, making his only mistake of the day, was robbed by Elliott.

Beardsley leapt on to the loose ball and via Asprilla it arrived at David Ginola's feet. The Frenchman charged at Cox who dived in, bringing Ginola down. Beardsley, who missed a penalty on Tuesday night against Ferencvaros, hit the netting this time.

It was four minutes before halftime and though the Middlesbrough fans chanted "one nil to the referee" Gary Willard's decision was a correct one.

There was still time before the break for Keith Gillespie to force a fine save out of Walsh. Gillespie was again included in a Kevin Keegan line up once again packed with forwards and although the Irishman had plenty of defending to do in the three men at the back formation he is clearly responding.

After the interval Middlesbrough's hold slipped further and Ginola and Les Ferdinand both went close as the play elongated. There was still the odd squaring up but none as unlikely as when Juninho headed for Albert. The diminutive Brazilian came off worse and was still moaning about it when Beardsley skipped by red shirts to put a cool side foot into the bottom corner.

A compelling game was up for Middlesbrough and Beardsley's assessment was: "You have to win the battle first and then let the football take over." Newcastle did just that.