Alex Ferguson blew his top at Newcastle but still left Tyneside with all three points. The Manchester United boss was sent from the dug-out by referee Uriah Rennie 24 minutes into a tense contest after angrily disputing an earlier decision, and found himself cursing once again as Alan Shearer headed the home side in front.
But he need not have worried as his side gradually wore down their opponents and then struck with devastating effect twice within eight second-half minutes to clinch the win.
The superb Roy Keane made both goals, first sliding in Ruud van Nistelrooy to beat Shay Given from close range - the 10th successive Premiership game in which he has scored - and then providing the cross from which Paul Scholes chested home the winner.
It was a professional display from the reigning champions, for whom Eric Djemba-Djemba was also impressive, but Newcastle's defending once again let them down at crucial points and they failed to make the most of the rare chances they enjoyed.
The fireworks arranged to celebrate the launch of the 100th season of league football at St James' Park failed to go off as the players ran out in front of a crowd of 52,165, but that was to be no omen for what followed.
The bulk of the pyrotechnics, however, came off the pitch with Ferguson exploding as the first half reached its decisive point.
The Scot was furious that Andy O'Brien had not been penalised for a 22nd-minute challenge on Ryan Giggs as the Welshman raced in on goal, a decision which could have brought a premature end to the Republic of Ireland international's afternoon.
Instead, it was the United boss who received his marching orders, and he was still making his way through the bowels of St James' when Shearer rubbed salt into the wound by powering a header past Tim Howard from Laurent Robert's free-kick.
What happened either side of the main event was equally enthralling as Newcastle set about repairing the damage of the corresponding fixture last season when United secured a crushing 6-2 victory on Tyneside. The Magpies led 1-0 that day too, but went in at half-time 4-1 down and with their title challenge in tatters.
But while the excellent van Nistelrooy, Scholes and Giggs remained as dangerous as ever and Keane exuded class in the middle of the park, Newcastle were not about to capitulate once again. Titus Bramble was handed the task of keeping the Dutchman quiet, and apart from losing him on one or two occasions, did his job well in the first half.
Robson's half-time message would have warned his players to expect a backlash, but they did not heed his words. Keane had already put van Nistelrooy in on goal only to see him uncharacteristically miss the target when they same combination produced the equaliser on 51 minutes.
Hughes was the guilty man as he played the Dutchman onside, and he made no mistake to beat Given from close range. The goals had come thick and fast in last season's game, and they did not have to wait long for another, Keane again providing the service eight minutes later for Scholes to make space for himself before chesting the ball home at the far post.
Robson made a triple substitution with 18 minutes remaining when he withdrew the ineffective Robert and Bowyer, as well as Ameobi, whose contribution had dipped alarmingly, and sent on Hugo Viana, Jermaine Jenas and Michael Chopra.
Shearer was denied a shot on goal by Silvestre's well-timed tackle and Dyer inexplicably failed to pull the trigger after being played in by his captain on 80 minutes. But as the clock ran down, the Magpies went for broke and Chopra could have snatched a point at the death after collecting Shearer's pass, but he could not beat Tim Howard from point-blank range.