By Trevor Huggins

Premier League leaders Manchester United were held to a 2-2 draw at Newcastle United on Monday in a setback that will give fresh hope to champions Chelsea.

Alex Ferguson's men were trailing to a fine James Milner goal before Paul Scholes scored either side of halftime to give them a 2-1 lead -- only for Canadian defender David Edgar to grab Newcastle's equaliser in the 73rd minute on his home debut.

United are top with 54 points from 22 games, while second-placed Chelsea have 47 points from 21 before their game at Aston Villa on Tuesday.

The Old Trafford side missed the chance to build up a nine-point lead on Tyneside. Milner gave Newcastle a 33rd-minute lead with a glorious shot into the top right-hand corner after cutting in from the left but it was soon cancelled out by a snap shot from Scholes.

United's South Korean midfielder Park Ji-sung hit the post in stoppage time but Scholes had better luck just 23 seconds into the second half when he cracked a low drive past two Newcastle defenders and keeper Shay Given.

Newcastle looked destined for defeat before 19-year-old Edgar, playing only because of an injury to Peter Ramage, beat keeper Edwin van der Sar with a daisy-cutter from 20 metres.

Asked about the duel with Chelsea, Ferguson told Sky Sports: "I made the point some weeks ago -- there will be points dropped by both teams. It's a real challenge now for the championship, they (Chelsea) are not getting their way as they did in the last two years. We are a serious contender now."

Yet Ferguson, who said French striker Louis Saha would be out for about two weeks after a first-half groin injury, regretted his side's lack of finishing. "Bear in mind the spirit and character of the Newcastle team. They've deserved their point without question ... it's not an easy place to come to now," he said.

But he added: "We should have won the match with the chances we had."

Fulham goalkeeper Antti Niemi was discharged from hospital after being cleared of any spinal damage in a neck injury suffered in their goalless draw at home to Watford.

The Finland international had flipped in the air while attempting a clearance early in the second half and landed heavily on his head. Play was stopped for seven minutes while he was treated and laid on a stretcher with his neck in a brace.

Fulham manager Chris Coleman earlier told Sky Sports: "It's a good job he's as agile and as flexible as he is. It could have been a lot worse."