www.red11.org DAILY NEWS
Date: Wed 29 Dec 1999 03:10 GMT
Mail: barry@www.red11.org
This Issue:
1. BUTT GRABS LATE GOAL FOR SHARE OF POINTS
2. Sunderland (2) 2 Man United (1) 2 FT
3. Match min by min Points shared in festive classic ««
4. Guardian Sunderland 2 - 2 Man Utd
5. Points shared in festive classic ««
6. Irwin in line for Testimonial ««
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MANCHESTER UNITED DAILY NEWS Wed 29th Dec 1999:
Webmaster comment:
* If you have an article for this MUFC Daily News bulletin
please mail it to Thanks!
----------------------
Red Devils' Webstation - danlim@mailexcite.com Danny Lim, Malacca, Malaysia.
URL:
This is the place for rantings, ravings and reverence
(well, mostly reverence) of the marvelous football institution known
as Manchester United FC ! Man United's All-Time Greatest XI and the
Red Devils' Hall of Fame ! Great Manchester United Line-ups in
History The Manchester United Squad United in Transition
Taken from The Worldwide Manchester United Fans Webring - 400+ RED sites!
http://www.webring.org/cgi-bin/webring?ring=manufan;list
* UK TV info: BBC TO COVER UNITED'S BRAZIL MISSION
The BBC will broadcast live coverage of Manchester United's World Team
Championship challenge in Brazil.
Champions League Url: http://www.red11.org/champ
1999/2000 UEFA Champions League Second Group-Match Stage - Group B
Group B P W D L F A Pts
Fiorentina AC 2 1 1 0 2 0 4
Manchester United 2 1 0 1 3 2 3
Valencia CF 2 1 0 1 3 3 3
Bordeaux 2 0 1 1 0 3 1
Second stage Euro Draw GROUP B
Manchester United Valencia Bordeaux Fiorentina
Tues Nov 23 Fiorentina v Manchester United 2-0
Valencia v Girondins Bordeaux 3-0
Wed Dec 8 Girondins Bordeaux v Fiorentina 0-0
Manchester United v Valencia 3-0
Wed Mar 1
Group B: Manchester United v Girondins Bordeaux
Group B: Fiorentina v Valencia
Tues Mar 7
Group B: Girondins Bordeaux v Manchester United
Group B: Valencia v Fiorentina
Wed Mar 15
Group B: Manchester United v Fiorentina
Group B: Girondins Bordeaux v Valencia
Tuesday, March 21
Group B: Fiorentina v Girondins Bordeaux
Group B: Valencia v Manchester United
FINAL Group D P W D L F A PTS
Manchester United FC 6 4 1 1 9 4 13
Olympique de Marseille 6 3 1 2 10 8 10
SK Sturm Graz 6 2 0 4 5 12 6
NK Croatia Zagreb 6 1 2 3 7 7 5
*******************************
Real Audio - Last weeks Daily News Sound Archive:
Click on INDEX at http://www.red11.org/sound
************************
99/2000 fixtures/match reports are at
http://www.red11.org/mufc/992000.htm
Mark Bosnich's Personal Details
http://www.red11.org/mufc/bosnich.htm
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
MANCHESTER UNITED STATS v ALL teams on the Web
http://www.red11.org/mufc/stats.htm
Previous News:
BSKYB Takeover news/pics at http://www.red11.org/mufc/bskyb.htm
Brian Kidd Press conference, pic, real audio
http://www.iol.ie/~redcafe/kidd.htm
Peter Schmeichel's last Season at United!
http://www.red11.org/mufc/news/schmeichel.htm
*** RESULTS AND ATTENDANCES ON 28/12/99 ***
Arsenal 2-0 Leeds United 38,096
Bradford City 0-0 Everton 18,276
Leicester City 1-2 Newcastle United 21,225
Liverpool 3-1 Wimbledon 44,107
Sunderland 2-2 Manchester United 42,026
Watford 3-2 Southampton 18,459
West Ham United 1-1 Derby County 24,998
*** FULL LEAGUE TABLE AS AT 28/12/99 ***
Pos Team P W D L F A W D L F A GD Pts
------------------------------------------------------------------------
1 Leeds United 20 8 1 1 16 7 6 1 3 18 15 12 44
2 Manchester United 19 8 2 0 33 7 5 2 2 17 18 25 43
3 Arsenal 20 8 2 1 23 8 4 1 4 13 12 16 39
4 Sunderland 20 7 3 1 18 8 4 2 3 17 16 11 38
5 Liverpool 20 8 0 3 20 8 3 4 2 11 9 14 37
6 Tottenham Hotspur 18 6 1 2 21 12 3 2 4 9 10 8 30
7 Leicester City 20 6 2 3 17 13 3 0 6 11 15 0 29
8 Everton 20 4 5 0 21 8 3 2 6 12 20 5 28
9 Chelsea 17 5 1 2 14 5 3 2 4 9 13 5 27
10 West Ham United 19 6 2 1 15 11 1 4 5 7 10 1 27
11 Middlesbrough 19 5 2 3 11 10 3 1 5 12 16 -3 27
12 Aston Villa 19 4 3 2 10 6 3 1 6 8 14 -2 25
13 Coventry City 19 6 0 4 20 12 0 6 3 6 10 4 24
14 Newcastle United 20 4 3 2 21 11 2 2 7 11 24 -3 23
15 Wimbledon 20 3 5 2 19 13 1 5 4 12 22 -4 22
16 Southampton 19 2 3 4 11 13 2 2 6 12 19 -9 17
17 Bradford City 19 2 5 2 9 12 2 0 8 6 17 -14 17
18 Derby County 20 2 0 8 7 18 2 4 4 10 14 -15 16
19 Watford 20 3 1 6 13 18 1 1 8 4 24 -25 14
20 Sheffield Wednesday 18 2 2 4 10 11 0 1 9 6 31 -26 9
*** TEAM STATISTICS - MANCHESTER UNITED - AS AT 28/12/99 ***
AVERAGE HOME ATTENDANCE: 55,173
HIGHEST HOME ATTENDANCE: 25/09/99 - Southampton (55,249)
LOWEST HOME ATTENDANCE: 11/08/99 - Sheffield Wednesday (54,941)
BEST WIN: 11/08/99 - Sheffield Wednesday (4-0)
30/08/99 - Newcastle United (5-1)
04/12/99 - Everton (5-1)
26/12/99 - Bradford City (4-0)
HEAVIEST DEFEAT: 03/10/99 - Chelsea (0-5)
BEST HOME WIN: 11/08/99 - Sheffield Wednesday (4-0)
30/08/99 - Newcastle United (5-1)
04/12/99 - Everton (5-1)
26/12/99 - Bradford City (4-0)
HEAVIEST HOME DEFEAT: none
BEST AWAY WIN: 18/12/99 - West Ham United (4-2)
HEAVIEST AWAY DEFEAT: 03/10/99 - Chelsea (0-5)
NEXT MATCHES
---------------------------------------------------------------
06-JAN-2000 [21:15] Manchester Utd. vs Necaxa (World Club Championship, AWAY)
08-JAN-2000 [21:15] Manchester Utd. vs Vasco de Gama (World Club Championship, AWAY)
11-JAN-2000 [20:15] Manchester Utd. vs South Melbourne (World Club Championship, AWAY)
*** TEAM RESULTS - MANCHESTER UNITED -
UNITED Stats v All teams:
http://www.red11.org/mufc/stats/
ALL FIXTURES at: http://www.red11.org/mufc/fix992000.htm
First Team Fixtures 1999/2000
All dates/times subject to change
Dates of possible cup ties also shown
Date Opposition Score Pos. Attend.
--------------------------------------------------------------------
15/07/99 Melbourne Australia pre-season W 2-0 - 60,000
18/07/99 Sydney Australia pre-season W 1-0 - 78,000
21/07/99 Shanghai Shenhua pre-season W 2-0 - 80,000
24/07/99 Hong Kong South China pre-season W 2-0 - 40,000
1/08/99 Arsenal Wembley Charity Shield L 1-2 - 70,185
3/08/99 Omagh Town Omagh Bomb Fund W 9-0 - 7,000
4/08/99 Wigan Athletic friendly W 2-0 - 15,000
08/08/99 Everton Away PL D 1-1 10 39,141
11/08/99 Sheffield Wednesday Home PL W 4-0 3 54,941
14/08/99 Leeds United Home PL W 2-0 1 55,187
22/08/99 Arsenal Away PL W 2-1 1 38,147
25/08/99 Coventry City Away PL W 2-1 1 22,024
27/08/99 Monaco - Lazio ESC L 0-1 - 15,223
30/08/99 Newcastle United Home W 5-1 1 55,190
11/09/99 Liverpool Away W 3-2 1 44,929
14/09/99 Croatia Zagreb Home EC D 0-0 - 53,250
18/09/99 Wimbledon Home D 1-1 1 55,189
22/09/99 Sturm Graz Away EC W 3-0 - 16,480
25/09/99 Southampton Home D 3-3 1 55,249
29/09/99 Marseille Home EC W 2-1 - 54,276
3/10/99 Chelsea Away PL L 0-5 2 34,909
11/10/99 Sir Alex Testimonial Home F L 2-4 LEGENDS 54,842
13/10/99 Aston Villa Away WC3 L 0-3 - 33,815
16/10/99 Watford Home PL W 4-1 2 55,188
19/10/99 Marseille Away EC L 0-1 - 57,745
23/10/99 Tottenham Hotspur Away L 1-3 3 36,072
27/10/99 Croatia Zagreb Away EC W 2-1 - 30,000
30/10/99 Aston Villa Home PL W 3-0 2 55,211
2/11/99 Sturm Graz Home EC W 2-1 - 53,745
6/11/99 Leicester City Home PL W 2-0 1 55,191
20/11/99 Derby County Away W 2-1 1 33,370
23/11/99 AC Fiorentina Away EC L 0-2 - 40,000
30/11/99 Tokyo Palmeiras N WCC W 1-0 - 53,372
4/12/99 Everton Home PL W 5-1 2 55,193
8/12/99 Valencia CF Home EC W 3-0 - 54,606
18/12/99 West Ham United Away W 4-2 1 26,037
26/12/99 Bradford City Home PL W 4-0 2 55,188
28/12/99 Sunderland Away PL D 2-2 2 42,026
pp 27/11/1999 Sheffield Wednesday Away PL ? *No new date yet
pp 3/01/2000 Middlesborough Home PL ? *No new date yet
pp 15/01/2000 Leeds Away PL ? *No new date yet
****************************************************
JAN 05-14 Brazil WTC [3-4 games]
----------------------------------------------------
06/01/2000 Necaxa (Mexico) Neut WTC 16.00
08/01/2000 Vasco da Gama (Brazil) Away WTC 16.00
11/01/2000 South Melbourne (Australia) N WTC 16.00
Final? 14/01/2000
****************************************************
24/01/2000 Arsenal Home PL 20.00 "live on sky"
5/02/2000 Coventry City Home PL 15.00
12/02/2000 Newcastle United Away PL 15.00
26/02/2000 Wimbledon Away PL 15.00
1/03/2000 FC Girondins de Bordeaux Home EC 19.45
4/03/2000 Liverpool Home PL 11.30 "live on sky"
7/03/2000 FC Girondins de Bordeaux Away EC 19.45
11/03/2000 Derby County Home PL 15.00
15/03/2000 AC Fiorentina Home EC 19.45
18/03/2000 Leicester City Away PL 15.00
21/03/2000 Valencia CF Away EC 19.45
25/03/2000 Bradford City Away PL 15.00
1/04/2000 West Ham United Home PL 15.00
5/04/2000 ? EC qf i
8/04/2000 Middlesborough Away PL 15.00
15/04/2000 Sunderland Home PL 15.00
19/04/2000 ? EC qf ii
22/04/2000 Southampton Away PL 15.00
24/04/2000 Chelsea Home PL 15.00
29/04/2000 West Ham United Away PL 15.00
3/05/2000 ? EC sf i
6/05/2000 Tottenham Hotspur Home PL 15.00
10/05/2000 ? EC sf ii
14/05/2000 Aston Villa Away PL 15.00
24/05/2000 ? EC Final
http://www.red11.org/mufc/match.htm
++++++=========+++++++========+++++++++========++++++++
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| Click On pic - for latest interviews from OT |
BUTT GRABS LATE GOAL FOR SHARE OF POINTS
Sunderland 2-2 Man Utd
Ben Reynolds reports
Nicky Butt proved the late hero for Manchester United as his 85th minute
equaliser earned his side an unlikely share of the points at the Stadium of
Light.
It all looked very improbable for United after they fell behind to a
lightening start by Sunderland, Niall Quinn proving that he did not need
his strike partner Kevin Phillips to profit in front of goal as he scored
one and set up another for Sunderland.
Sunderland were a side transformed from the one destroyed at Goodison Park
on Sunday, and with Tony Blair, a Newcastle fan, in attendance, they took
inspiration from a Geordie infiltrator in their mightily impressive fortess.
Within two minutes Peter Reid’s men were in front. Michael Gray crossed to
the edge of the United box for Niall Quinn to flick on and Gavin McCann,
ghosting in between the United centre-backs, chested the ball down and
volleyed past ‘keeper Mark Bosnich for his fifth goal of the season.
Ten minutes later Quinn doubled the home side’s lead as he stuck his toe
out innocuously to a Stefan Schwarz cross and looped the ball over Bosnich
who was helpless to stop it sneaking under the bar.
Naturally Sunderland dropped the pace but still United struggled to find a
rhythm, becoming increasingly frustrated with their opponents plan to close
down every avenue. The pressure was building though and Keane managed
United’s first effort on target on 24 minutes when he thundered a shot into
keeper Thomas Sorenson’s chest.
When it did come Keane’s goal was one of beautiful simplicity, and finished
with style. David Beckham flicked the ball onto Andy Cole who released
Keane into the box. His low shot across keeper’s body found the bottom left
of the net and the Republic of Ireland captain had his tenth goal in what
is proving to be a prolific season.
United pressed for an equaliser before half time and in a frenetic end to
the half McCann blocked a Keane header on the line, Sorensen tipped a Cole
header over the bar and a Jaap Stam shot was almost deflected into the home
goal by a Sunderland defender.
The first half was one dominated by United, punctuated by brief
counter-attacks that were accompanied by the roar of record crowd inside
the Stadium of Light, many of whom were aware that two was unlikely to be
enough against the threat of United. Meanwhile Peter Reid paced his little
box like a nervous boy waiting for his new love to call.
However for all their possession it took United 20 minutes to get their
first shot on target in the second half, Andy Cole forcing a fine
one-handed save from Sorenson.
Alex Ferguson’s men continued to probe, mainly through Ryan Giggs down the
left but to little effect. Until Butt pounced on Sunderland’s failure to
clear a hopeful lob into the box and struck home the equaliser.
In the final minute Ryan Giggs was lucky not to be sent off as he twice
lashed out at Stefan Schwarz, but the United winger escaped with a yellow.
So United failed to enter the next millennium on top of the pile, and
Sunderland will be able to banish their defeat to Everton to the annals of
the last.
Sunderland: Sorensen, Makin, Butler, Bould, Gray, Summerbee, Rae (Williams
61), McCann, Schwarz, Kilbane (Reddy 89), Quinn.
Subs Not Used: Oster, Roy, Marriott.
Booked: Rae, Makin, Schwarz.
Goals: McCann 2, Quinn 13.
Man Utd: Bosnich, G. Neville, Stam, Silvestre, Irwin (Sheringham 77),
Beckham (Solskjaer 84), Butt, Keane, Giggs, Yorke, Cole (P. Neville 87).
Subs Not Used: Berg, Van Der Gouw.
Booked: Stam, Giggs.
Goals: Keane 27, Butt 86.
Att: 42,026
Ref: J Winter (Stockton-on-Tees).
 |
| Click On pic - for all latest pics from OT |
Sunderland (2) 2 Man United (1) 2 FT
McCann 2 Keane 27
Quinn 13 Butt 86
Manchester United bid a temporary farewell to the FA Carling Premiership
with a battling draw at Sunderland tonight after bouncing back from a
nightmare start.
United had hoped to leave for the World Club Championship in Brazil on
Sunday sitting proudly at the top of the table, but they have to settle for
second after a late strike from midfielder Nicky Butt gave them a point on
a bitterly cold night in the north-east.
Click image for full size
The men from Old Trafford will not play another league game until they
entertain Arsenal on January 24, but they will surely not have to fight as
hard anywhere this season as they did on Wearside.
Sunderland raced into a 2-0 lead within 13 minutes as Gavin McCann and
Niall Quinn made the most of an unsteady start by the United defence, but
Roy Keane threw the game back into the melting pot with a 27th minute drive.
The home side will count themselves a little unfortunate not to have clung
on to all three points as they matched the visitors for long periods, but
the quality of the treble winners finally told.
David Beckham returned from a hamstring injury to replace Paul Scholes,
while strike duo Andy Cole and Dwight Yorke, who both scored after coming
on as substitutes against Bradford, were also back in harness.
Denis Irwin took over from Phil Neville and there was also a place in the
starting line-up for Ryan Giggs.
But Sunderland were no so fortunate as the hamstring injury which kept
19-goal striker Kevin Phillips out of the 5-0 defeat at Everton sidelined
him once again, while Alex Rae replaced Frenchman Eric Roy in central
midfield.
The Wearsiders have proved since their return to the top flight that they
are no respecters of reputations and they got off to a superb start as they
took the lead with just 72 seconds gone.
Michael Gray's long free-kick was flicked on by Quinn and McCann got
between central defenders Jaap Stam and Mikael Silvestre to chest the ball
down and dispatch it past the stranded Mark Bosnich with the outside of his
right foot.
Sunderland made light of Phillips' absence as they put United's shaky
rearguard under intense pressure, and Quinn again made life difficult when
he nodded down a seventh-minute Kevin Kilbane cross for Paul Butler, who
hammered his half-volley high over the bar.
But the home supporters were in dreamland on 13 minutes when the big
Irishman powered his way in front of Silvestre to meet Stefan Schwarz's
near post cross and flick the ball over Bosnich.
The visitors were struggling to cope with Sunderland's five-man midfield,
but as Keane and Nicky Butt finally managed to establish a way through, the
tide began to turn.
Keane warmed Thomas Sorensen's hands with a 25-yard thunderbolt on 24
minutes, and that proved the prelude to their best move of the half three
minutes later.
Stam played the ball wide down the left to Beckham and when he cleverly
turned it into the path of Dwight Yorke, he fed Keane to fire across
Sorensen and into the far corner.
Yorke shot across the face of goal from a tight angle 10 minutes from the
break as United pushed for an equaliser, and the home side needed all their
famed resilience to ensure they preserved their lead as the whistle
approached.
McCann kept out Keane's near post header from a Beckham corner and Sorensen
did well to turn a looping Cole header over on the stroke of half-time.
The two sides sparred as the second-half got underway with defences on top
and chances in short supply.
Click image for full size
Indeed, it was not until the 57th minute that either keeper was called into
action as Bosnich had to charge from his line to deny Quinn after the
striker had beaten the offside trap to chase Nicky Summerbee's cross-field
ball.
Silvestre, who was having something of a mixed night, twice played the ball
straight at McCann deep inside his own half but escaped on both occasions,
and Stam was guilty of a similar crime as he gifted possession to Michael
Gray and was rescued by Gary Neville.
Cole thought he was in on goal on 62 minutes after Keane and Giggs linked
well, but Chris Makin was able to shepherd the ball back to Sorensen.
The Dane pulled off a fine save five minutes later when Cole ran on to
Yorke's pass and shot across him, and although Sorensen could not hold it,
Giggs was unable to recycle the loose ball to any great effect.
Ferguson gambled by replacing Irwin with Teddy Sheringham on 77 minutes,
but it was Giggs who went on a mazy run four minutes later only to fire
high over from 20 yards.
However, the visitors drew level with just four minutes remaining when Butt
sent a bobbling shot from the edge of the area past Sorensen to set up a
grandstand, but ultimately inconclusive, finish.
Sunderland: Sorensen, Makin, Butler, Bould, Gray, Summerbee, Rae (Williams,
61), McCann, Schwarz, Kilbane (Reddy, 89), Quinn.
Subs not used: Oster, Roy, Marriott.
Booked: Rae, Makin, Schwarz.
Man United: Bosnich, G. Neville, Stam, Silvestre, Irwin (Sheringham, 77),
Beckham (Solskjaer, 84), Butt, Keane, Giggs, Yorke, Cole (P. Neville, 87).
Subs not used: Berg, Van Der Gouw.
Booked: Stam, Giggs.
Attendance: 42,026.
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| Click On pic - for latest interviews from OT |
Match min by min Points shared in festive classic ««
A late equaliser from Nicky Butt earned Manchester United a dramatic 2 - 2
draw at Sunderland, after being two down inside quarter of an hour.
SUNDERLAND v MAN U MIN-BY-MIN
Final score: Sunderland 2 Manchester United 2
90mins: Winter blows the final whistle to end a thrilling match with
honours even.
90mins: Giggs is booked by Jeff Winter for lashing out at Schwarz, while
the Swede is also yellow-carded for tugging the Welshman's shirt.
90mins: Sunderland bring off Kilbane and replace him with Michael Reddy.
90mins: There are three minutes of stoppage time to be played, but both
teams look pretty tired now.
88mins: United take off Cole and bring on Philip Neville.
86mins: GOAL BUTT - United equalise with the goal stemming from a
controversial free-kick for a foul on Solskjaer. Gary Neville takes from
just inside his own half, and the ball lands on the edge of the area.
Sunderland half-clear but Butt manages to poke a shot from the edge of the
box past Sorensen into the corner of the net.
85mins: Kilbane puts the ball out for a corner, but from it Solskjaer's
half-hit shot from the edge of the box is easy for Sorensen.
83mins: The visitors bring on Ole Gunnar Solskjaer to replace the
ineffective Beckham.
82mins: Summerbee crosses towards Quinn, but Bosnich catches the ball easily.
82mins: Sheringham plays the ball over the top for Cole, but the superb
Bould heads the ball back to Sorensen.
80mins: Giggs fashions a shooting chance on the edge of the Sunderland box.
But the ball is on his weaker right foot and goes high and wide.
78mins: Cole tries to put Giggs away down the left but the ball goes
straight out of play for a Sunderland throw.
77mins: United bring on Teddy Sheringham to replace Irwin.
74mins: Giggs beats Makin on the left but just loses control as he drives
into the Sunderland box.
73mins: Butt tries to play the ball through for Yorke but Sorensen is first
to the ball.
72mins: Makin does superbly to dispossess the raiding Giggs on the United
left.
71mins: Butt charges down a Sunderland clearance and the ball goes towards
Cole 20 yards out. But he's caught just offside.
70mins: Gray tries to get in a cross after good Sunderland build-up play on
the left flank. But he can't quite get his foot round the ball and it goes
out for a goal-kick.
68mins: Giggs takes on the Sunderland defence down his left and wins a
corner off Makin. Sorensen punches clear from Beckham's kick.
66mins: Makin is booked for time wasting over a throw-in on the Sunderland
right.
65mins: Yorke plays Cole through into the Sunderland box and his low shot
is pushed away by Sorensen. Giggs pulls the ball back but Bould clears from
the waiting Yorke in the six-yard box.
64mins: Manchester win a free-kick on halfway for a foul on Yorke, but the
set-piece is disappointing and goes out for a Sunderland throw.
64mins: Stam almost hands possession to Kilbane inside his own area, but
the big Dutchman shows good composure to turn away from trouble.
62mins: Giggs threads the ball through the middle into the run of Cole, but
Makin is there to avert the danger, and Sorensen collects.
60mins: Sunderland make the game's first subsitution, bringing on Darren
Williams to replace Rae.
58mins: McCann dispossesses Silvestre just inside his own half, but United
get back in numbers quickly to cover. Eventually Rae crosses high into the
box, but Bosnich catches comfortably.
56mins: Sunderland play the ball forward route one and the offside flag
stays down. Bosnich misjudges the ball slightly and has to hurry his
clearance with Quinn bearing down on him.
55mins: Schwarz does well to intercept a Butt pass and puts Kilbane away.
He finds McCann but the move loses momentum.
53mins: Sunderland dink the ball over the advancing United defence for
Summerbee to chase, but Bosnich is out of his goal quickly to collect the
ball.
51mins: Beckham, hardly a factor in the game at all so far, breaks out of
defence, but his pass forward is woeful and goes straight through to Sorensen.
49mins: Rae goes into the referee's notebook for bringing down Butt 40
yards from the Sunderland goal.
48mins: Silvestre goes down in pain after a crunching tackle on halfway by
Stefan Schwarz.
47mins: Yet again Quinn wins a high ball and directs the ball to Kilbane 30
yards out. He moves the ball forward and gets it onto his left foot for a
shot, but Stam half-blocks and the ball goes through to Bosnich.
46mins: Sunderland play the high ball forward for Quinn, but he's caught
offside.
46mins: The visitors begin the second half as they try to get back on level
terms.
45mins: Referee Winter blows his whistle to end an excellent first half.
45mins: Again the visitors go close from a Beckham corner. Stam wins the
ball in the six-yard box and Rae almost puts the ball into his own net.
45mins: United go close in first-half stoppage time. Beckham's free-kick
into the box is half-cleared to Irwin. He loops the ball back into the box
and Cole's hopeful header is tipped over by Sorensen.
44mins: Summerbee and Makin link on the right to put in McCann in the area.
But Stam is across to challenge and the ball goes out for a Sunderland
corner. Stam again heads clear.
43mins: Giggs wins a corner off Makin on the left, and when the set-piece
is taken Keane's near-post header is cleared off the line by McCann.
41mins: Sunderland play the ball forward to Quinn and his knockdown finds
McCann. But Silvestre puts in an excellent tackle to send the ball out for
a throw.
43mins: Cole tries to cash in on a moment's hesitation in the Sunderland
defence but Sorensen clears his lines comfortably.
39mins: Sunderland break out of defence and Kilbane tries an ambitious shot
from all of 40 yards. The ball hits Silvestre and cannons away to safety
for the visitors.
37mins: Giggs collects a pass from Mickael Silvestre and tries to get to
the by-line but his first touch is heavy and the ball goes out for a
Sunderland goal-kick.
37mins: Giggs crosses from the left, Gray heads out and Chris Makin does
well to avoid conceding a corner.
35mins: The visitors win a free-kick 35 yards out for a foul on Butt, but
when Giggs and Keane try to play in Cole Sunderland clear.
34mins: Butt and Yorke win possession 30 yards out, and when Cole feeds
Yorke he moves into the box before firing across the face of goal.
33mins: Summerbee raids down the right and produces an inviting cross into
the United box, but Stam beats Quinn to the punch this time and heads clear.
30mins: Giggs moves into the centre of the pitch to try and play Yorke
through but Sunderland cut out the danger comfortably.
27mins: GOAL KEANE - The Manchester United captain brings his team back
into the game with a trademark goal. Cole turns superbly 40 yards from goal
to play the Irishman through and he fires the ball past Sorensen from the
right edge of the penalty area.
25mins: Sunderland play the ball down the right for Summerbee to chase, but
Irwin shepherds the ball out of play for a goal-kick.
24mins: Giggs crosses from the left and when the ball is only half-cleared
Keane hammers in a venomous half-volley that Sorensen holds at the second
attempt.
23mins: Roy Keane intercepts a pass by Alex Rae on the edge of his own box
but his first touch lets him down and the ball is out for a goal-kick.
22mins: Dwight Yorke teams up with Beckham on the right for the latter to
deliver a high cross to the back post. Giggs wins the ball in the air but
Sunderland clear.
20mins: Giggs hares out of defence but his break towards the Sunderland
area is halted by a fine sliding tackle from McCann. United win a throw but
from it Denis Irwin's disappointing cross drifts out for a goal-kick to the
home side.
18mins: United win another free-kick on the right wing, for a foul by Steve
Bould on Andy Cole. Giggs swings it in to the near post but Bould heads out
for a corner. Sunderland then clear the ball upfield and Beckham is
penalised for a reckless challenge.
15mins: United win a free-kick on the right and David Beckham swings it in.
Sunderland half-clear, but only to Gary Neville who fires in a shot from 25
yards out. The ball goes just wide but the flag is already up for a
Sunderland free-kick.
13mins: GOAL QUINN - Lovely build-up play down the left between Gray and
Kilbane ends with Schwarz putting in a superb cross for Quinn. He loops the
ball up and over Bosnich into the net to give Sunderland a sensational 2-0
lead.
11mins: United string a number of passes together in a bid to find some
space, but excellent harrying by Sunderland ends with Stam playing the ball
back to Bosnich.
9mins: Gary Neville takes his eye off the ball in his own half and Kilbane
takes possession. But the Irishman fails to spot Gray on the overlap and
gives the ball away.
8mins: Sunderland, fresh from that Boxing Day roasting at Everton, are
really up for this one. Now Butler gets in a crunching challenge to stop
Nicky Butt in his tracks.
6mins: A great opportunity for Sunderland to go 2-0 ahead. Quinn again wins
the ball from a deep cross to the back post. His knockdown falls to Paul
Butler unmarked 10 yards out but he blazes the ball high over the United bar.
4mins: Sunderland break out of defence and Kevin Kilbane runs at the United
defence from deep inside his own half. Jaap Stam ends his progress with a
crude body check and receives the yellow card from referee Jeff Winter.
Again Quinn wins the resulting free-kick in the air but this time the ball
goes safely through to Bosnich.
3mins: Ryan Giggs plays the ball behind the Sunderland defence for Andy
Cole to chase, but keeper Thomas Sorensen is out quickly to boot the ball
clear.
2mins: GOAL GAVIN McCANN - A sensational start as McCann fires past Mark
Bosnich to put Sunderland ahead. Michael Gray plays a free-kick to the edge
of the United area from inside his own half. Quinn heads on and McCann
takes the ball on his chest before volleying past Bosnich. The goal is
timed at just 71 seconds.
1min: Niall Quinn wins a header just outside the United box and when the
ball is played into the area Nicky Summerbee is caught offside.
1min: Sunderland, without injured England striker Kevin Phillips, get the
game under way in a passionate atmosphere at the Stadium of Light. United
meanwhile know that three points would take them back to the top of the
Premiership following Arsenal's 2-0 win over leaders Leeds.
© PA Sporting Life
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Guardian Sunderland 2 - 2 Man Utd
Butt's late strike rescues United
McCann 2, Quinn 13 | Keane 27,
Butt 86
David Hopps at the Stadium of Light
Wednesday December 29, 1999
Manchester United will not be going to the World Club Championship as
Premiership leaders, the natural order of things having been defied in inspired fashion
last night by a Sunderland side who refused to relinquish their place among their
supposed superiors at the top of the table.
Leeds United's defeat at Arsenal had left United needing victory to regain the
Premiership leadership. But they were desperately grateful for a point, gained
only four minutes from the end of a pulsating clash when Paul Butler's weak
headed clearance was driven in by Nicky Butt.
An upbeat Alex Ferguson drew pride from a spirited recovery, believing that
United would leave for South America with their quality underlined. "Sunderland
are noted for their quick starts and sometimes these things are unavoidable," he
said. "But once we got going I thought we were excellent. We showed imagination,
work-rate and creation, and dominated it."
A five-goal mauling at Everton had shaken the Sunderland fans who have hardly
dared to revel in their unexpectedly successful return to the Premiership, and
even a convenient statistical absurdity or two - Sunderland had not lost at
home to United for 15 years - did little to allay fears.
Yet misgivings do not gather around any side managed by Peter Reid, and
Sunderland immediately sent their doubting fans delirious by scoring twice in
the first 14 minutes.
The prime source, as it has been all season, was the aerial supremacy of Niall
Quinn, who gave his initial marker, Mickael Silvestre, the run-around. By the
time Jaap Stam was deputised to take care of Quinn, the Irishman had left
United with a colossal task.
Sunderland scored from their first attack, Quinn flicking Michael Gray's
free-kick from deep on the left and Gavin McCann arriving to poke the opportunity low
inside Mark Bosnich's right-hand post.
When Quinn again won a header, with Silvestre begging at his shoulder like an
attentive dog hoping for a hand-me-down, Paul Butler failed to steady
himself and blazed an inviting chance high.
Sunderland's second goal, however, was not long delayed. Quinn, stretching for
Stefan Schwarz's cross from the left, contrived to divert it over Bosnich
and in off the bar. He is having the season of his life and little will have
matched the glory of is opening quarter-hour last night.
It was Roy Keane, by example and, when that failed, by torrents of abuse, who
demanded that United steady themselves. It was Keane, too, who pulled a goal
back, finishing clinically after Andy Cole had freed him on the right of
the area. Cole then let in Dwight Yorke, after Kevin Kilbane was off the pace, but
the angle was more acute and Yorke shot past the far post.
Keane, a towering presence, might have equalised by half-time as United
grasped the initiative. He tore to the near post to meet David Beckham's corner but
his header struck McCann on the line. Cole and Stam came equally close to
levelling as Sunderland reached half-time with relief.
Most of Sunderland's attacks in the second half foundered upon the head of
Stam. If the Millennium Dome stands out as much on New Year's Eve as the
Premiership Dome did in a frantic second half then the prime minister, Tony
Blair, who was present last night to launch a Sunderland CD-rom designed to motivate
schoolchildren to learn, will have cause for much satisfaction.
The overriding question was whether motivation - which they have had in
abundance all season - would be enough to see Sunderland home. Bosnich had to
hack clear at the edge of his area after Quinn's rickety run forward had
escaped an offside flag.
Cole was having a good night as a provider and Thomas Sorensen needed to
be at his best to save low to his right when Yorke latched on to Cole's pass,
Ryan Giggs failing to tuck the loose ball in at the far post. It was
magnificent fare before a new Stadium of Light record attendance of more than 42,000.
With slightly more than 10 minutes remaining United gambled, replacing a
defender, Denis Irwin, with a third forward, Teddy Sheringham. Giggs was
also more to the fore but a determined dribble ended in disappointment as he shot high.
Sunderland (4-5-1): Sorensen; Makin,
Bould, Butler, Gray; Summerbee,
Schwarz, Rae (Williams, 61min),
McCann, Kilbane (Reddy, 89); Quinn.
Manchester United (4-4-2): Bosnich; G
Neville, Stam, Silvestre, Irwin
(Sheringham, 77); Beckham (Solskjaer,
84), Butt, Keane, Giggs; Yorke, Cole (P
Neville, 87).
Referee: J Winter (Stockton).
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Points shared in festive classic ««
A late equaliser from Nicky Butt earned Manchester United a dramatic 2 - 2
draw at Sunderland, after being two down inside quarter of an hour.
Sunderland made a great start, with Gavin McCann and Niall Quinn each
netting within 15 minutes.
The ever dangerous Quinn rose majestically above Jaap Stam to meet a free
kick after just 70 seconds, guiding it into the path of McCann. He
controlled it on his chest, before volleying right footed into the net.
Stam was then booked for a body check on Kevin Kilbane as United were put
under enormous pressure, so it was no surprise when Sunderland added a
second just before the quarter hour.
Stephan Schwatz' whipped in cross from the left was met under pressure by
Quinn, who stuck out his right foot, to glide the ball over Mark Bosnich
into the far top corner of the net.
The champions hit back however and reduced the deficeit with a fine goal
from Roy Keane. Andy Cole turned a defender and released the ball to his
captain, who blasted it across Thomas Sorensen from 18 yards out on the
right, into the far corner. As United added more pressure, Keane's header
from a corner was cleared off the line by McCann and then Cole headed a
good chance just over the top.
The second half was less frantic, with not so much goalmouth action, but
just as Sunderland looked like holding out for a famous win, they were
penalised near to the right touchline. The resultant free kick was not
effectively cleared and Butt rifled it through a forest of legs, beating
Sorensen to his left, with the help of a couple of deflections.
It was cruel luck on Sunderland, but typical of United's never say die spirit.
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Irwin in line for Testimonial ««
Celtic are to be asked to supply the opposition for Manchester United's
Denis Irwin's testimonial.
The Irish star would certainly be assured of a massive pay-day - not that
he's a poor bloke at the moment.
Whether Celtic will agree is hard to say, but they have already been at Old
Trafford for Brian Robson and Mark Hughes, with Danny McGrain and both Paul
McStay and Roy Aitken benefiting from games against England's biggest side.
Meanwhile, Paul Elliot, the former Celtic central defender, has told Marc
Reiper that there is life outside football if he has to retire through injury.
Elliot suffered a similar injury to many other players who's career
continued after a cruciate damage.
Paul was unfortunate as he had to quit, but told the Danish stopper: "Life
has a lot to offer outside of football. If he has to quit, I wish him
well." Elliot is an agent in property and is still a pundit on television
and radio.
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