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Scholes restores parity after West Ham mauling
By Henry Winter | |
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West Ham (1) 1 Man Utd (0) 1 WEST HAM have proved to be Manchester United's 1990s nemesis too often for their liking, so the champions were relieved to escape Upton Park with a point last night after another mauling. The effort that West Ham put into their performances against United, once described by Alex Ferguson as "obscene", was again in evidence and Harry Redknapp's side could comfortably have won if they had taken the chances they so regularly created here. Trevor Sinclair appeared to have set West Ham on the way to victory with his early strike but United, having changed their formation and mood, proved too hungry in the second period and equalised through Paul Scholes. Still coming to terms with Ryan Giggs' absence, United chose to play with three squeezed into central midfield while Scholes and Teddy Sheringham sought space behind Andy Cole. The responsibility for providing width was left to the full-backs, Gary Neville and Denis Irwin. United's formation, inevitably leading to untended areas down the flanks and altered at half-time, was soon exposed by West Ham. Playing with pace and passion, Redknapp's side tore into their illustrious visitors, opponents they have never treated with the greatest of respect. United had no answer to the clever movement of Eyal Berkovic and Stan Lazaridis, who attacked from the deep, their speed and skill carrying them past attempted tackles. Without an obvious battering-ram target figure like John Hartson, still suspended, West Ham played the ball to feet in the very best traditions of this famous academy. Scarcely six minutes of a breathless first period had elapsed when West Ham scored a fine goal. Ushered forward by Rio Ferdinand into the wreckage caused by a short corner, Berkovic embarked on a mesmeric dribble, a slalom past a host of United players, eventually curtailed by Sheringham's block. The ball rebounded out to Sinclair, whose response was instant and devastating. Without pausing, a player who toyed with joining United in his teenage days, sent the ball skimming back past a wrong-footed defence, past a startled Peter Schmeichel and into the back of the net. Unconstrained joy gripped the claret-and-blue corners of Upton Park. United, missing the settling defensive presence of Gary Pallister, were looking anything but a collection of internationals. Time and again, West Ham raced forward, danger trailing in their wake. Sinclair, brilliantly sent through by Berkovic, skewed his shot across goal. Samassi Abou then released Steve Lomas, a former Manchester City midfielder predictably brimming with desire, down the left and Upton Park was ripped from its seats again. Lomas's cross-shot suddenly curled in, forcing Schmeichel into an emergency clearance. United enjoyed only half-chances, for Cole and Neville, but the half finished as it began with West Ham threatening. This time it was Frank Lampard, busily creative in midfield, who raced forward and brought a superb save from Schmeichel, the ball tipped on to the post. A change was needed. Ferguson removed Brian McClair for Ben Thornley - experience for width - drew Scholes back into midfield and went about their salvage operation in familiar 4-4-2 fashion. Having the extra man in midfield did not make United appear any more secure initially. Soon, Sinclair was charging through in pursuit of the ball, which he failed to reach, although he did catch Schmeichel, much to the champions' consternation. Schmeichel recovered but Nicky Butt soon departed injured, forcing another switch. John Curtis went to right-back and Neville pushed into midfield, where his determination and industry helped United back into the game. United found parity after 56 minutes with a goal as good as West Ham's first-half effort. David May clipped the ball forward to Sheringham, who ex- changed passes with David Beckham before finding Scholes. The England international darted into the box, got a fortunate rebound and tucked a delightful volley past Bernard Lama. Relief swept through the visiting ranks. Yet chances came and went for West Ham. Berkovic sent Lazaridis through but the Australian shot wide. Berkovic, from a similar position, then proved equally profligate. And still the chances came. Seven minutes remained and Lampard attempted to curl one over Schmeichel but, once again, United's goalkeeping captain saved his team. With two minutes left, Neville sent a low shot skidding from right to left but wide. _________________________________________________________________ West Ham (1) 1 Man Utd (0) 1 Sinclair 6; Scholes 66. West Ham: Lama, Pearce, Ferdinand, Potts, Impey, Lomas, Lazaridis, Berkovic, Abou, Sinclair, Lampard. Subs Not Used: Forrest, Hodges, Coyne, Bishop, Mean. Booked: Lampard, Sinclair. Man Utd: Schmeichel, Neville, Irwin, May, Beckham, Butt, Cole (Solskjaer 77), Sheringham, McClair (Thornley 46), Scholes, Berg. Subs Not Used: Van Der Gouw, Casper, Curtis. Booked: Scholes. Att: 25,892 Ref: G S Willard (Worthing). _________________________________________________________________ West Ham v Man United 11/03/98 7.45 West Ham (1) 1 Man United (0) 1 FT Sinclair 6 Scholes 66 Paul Scholes rescued Manchester United after the Upton Park spectres had threatened to derail their FA Carling Premiership title challenge once again. Six years ago, United's seemingly certain procession to the title that had eluded them for a quarter of a century had smashed into the rocks as they were beaten by an already-relegated Hammers side. Alex Ferguson had branded that home effort ``obscene'' and the East End gremlins haunted the Old Trafford chief again three years later, when a last-day draw handed Blackburn the Premiership. Tonight, as his team appeared lifeless and listless, Ferguson must have feared the worst when Trevor Sinclair scored a controversial seventh-minute opener for the Hammers. But England ace Scholes claimed his first League goal in four months after the break to salvage a point. With just 24 minutes left, Scholes collected Teddy Sheringham's ball into the edge of the box, bringing the ball down as Ian Pearce came in to challenge. While the defender lacked conviction, Scholes had plenty of it, driving through the tackle and ramming past Bernard Lama. It was a finish that showed why Glenn Hoddle believes Scholes can be ``the jewel'' in England's World Cup crown, a vital blow in Ferguson's bid to be acclaimed king of the Premiership castle once again. But even then it needed a truly incredible miss from Samassi Abou, blazing over the top from barely a yard after Steve Lomas had nodded a corner down into the danger zone, to prevent the champions slipping to their seventh defeat of the campaign. Yet this time, arguably for the first time, Ferguson found fortune in the East End, his side holding on for the point that could prove so vital come the end of May. Before the game, things had looked so different. John Hartson, Paul Kitson, and David Unsworth were still missing and only Sinclair was added to what Redknapp described as the Hammers' ``bare bones,'' while United had Peter Schmeichel and Denis Irwin back. But with Phil Neville and Ronny Johnsen not risked, Brian McClair made only his second League start of the campaign and, for whatever reason, the champions were not at the races. Twice inside the first six minutes David May just managed to keep United on terms as Ferguson's side rocked under wave after wave of home pressure. First Abou, so powerful, so strong, linked with Andy Impey, with Impey's cross headed towards former QPR team-mate Sinclair as May stretched to turn behind. The danger was not over, Eyal Berkovic's corner finding Frank Lampard unmarked and when Schmeichel fumbled his low shot, May was to the rescue again as Abou turned the rebound towards goal. But it was third time lucky for the home side as they took the lead. Stan Lazaridis worked a short corner, and when he clipped in, Rio Ferdinand's touch fell to Berkovic in acres of space, with United appealing in vain for a flag. The Israeli had time to dance round Schmeichel and pick his spot, but wanted even longer, his hands moving to his head as Sheringham blocked on the line. Yet before they could get there, Sinclair was alive, ramming the rebound back into the net. United, with Scholes pushed up alongside Sheringham and Andy Cole, were struggling with the strength and pace of the home front line, Berkovic adding his invention to cause real problems to the visitors. They did come close to an equaliser when Nicky Butt, otherwise subdued by Lomas and Lampard, rampaged through the middle to find Cole in space on the left. Bernard Lama could not hold but McClair's attempt to turn the loose ball home was foiled by Pearce on the line. Yet that was as good as it got for United, David Beckham receiving relentless foul-mouthed taunts over his relationship with `Posh Spice' and his team-mates uncharacteristically sloppy and slow. West Ham, by contrast, were up for it and then some, Sinclair everywhere, Berkovic, Lampard and Lomas not far behind. Sinclair flashed one effort across Schmeichel with nobody in support, Abou nutmegged May but pushed the ball too far and then Lomas nearly caught Schmeichel off guard from way out on the left. Cole was the one United player who looked as if he was in the right frame of mind, one superb touch sending the jet-heeled striker clear of Ferdinand and in front of Steve Potts, although his shot was drilled wide. But the half ended as it had begun, with the Hammers calling the shots. Lomas fed Lampard, and from 25 yards the midfielder let fly. Against any other keeper it would have been in, but the great Dane was exactly that, flying to his left to touch onto the upright and then relieved as Lazaridis curled the return a fraction wide. Ferguson had to do something and did at the break, Ben Thornley replacing McClair. It sparked a change for the better, Scholes firing wide after linking with Cole and then bringing Lama to his knees, but when the limping Butt was forced off, John Curtis coming on, the home fans sensed another of those nights. They would surely have been right if Abou, having shrugged off Henning Berg as Lampard floated across, had got any sort of touch with his header, or Lomas' 20-yarder been a foot to the left. But out of nothing United were back on terms as Scholes rode his luck, showed his determination, and then lashed home, punching the air in triumph. Even so, this was not the United who had been so dominant at home and abroad before Christmas, and Redknapp's side remained in charge. Sinclair's shot was easy for Schmeichel before Lazaridis flashed into the side-netting, and then Lampard fed Berkovic, who jinked inside Berg but scuffed wildly off-target. Yet that was nothing to compare with Abou's unbelievable miss five minutes from time, with everybody in the ground left stunned. Gary Neville, his shot deflected a couple of inches wide, and Scholes, with a header, might even have stolen it for United, but Ferguson will have been happy enough with the great escape. West Ham: (3-5-2) Lama, Pearce, Ferdinand, Potts, Impey, Lomas, Lazaridis, Berkovic, Abou, Sinclair, Lampard. Subs not used: Forrest, Hodges, Coyne, Bishop, Mean. Booked: Lampard, Sinclair. Man United: (4-4-2) Schmeichel, Neville, Irwin, May, Beckham, Butt, Cole (Solskjaer, 77), Sheringham, McClair (Thornley, 46), Scholes, Berg. Subs not used: Van Der Gouw, Casper, Curtis. Booked: Scholes. Attendance: 25,892. Referee: G S Willard (Worthing). _________________________________________________________________ Scholes rescues United, first win for vibrant Vialli LONDON, March 11 (AFP) - A second half goal from England man Paul Scholes rescued a point for Manchester United on Wednesday night as West Ham forced the Premiership champions onto the ropes at Upton Park. Arsenal, who have three (eds: correct) games in hand on their rivals, were the main beneficiaries of the Hammers' endeavours in holding the leaders as they closed the gap at the top to nine (eds: correct) points with a 1-0 win away to Wimbledon. Christophe Wreh's first league goal for the Gunners midway through the first half was just enough to see off the battling Dons and take Arsene Wenger's side above Liverpool into second spot. On a busy night of Premiership action there were goals galore at Stamford Bridge as Gianluca Vialli celebrated his first win as Chelsea manager with two strikes in a 6-2 rout of tailenders Crystal Palace. Tore Andre Flo also scored twice as Vialli's Blues moved into the top four 12 points behind Manchester United. And Leeds bounced back from their surprise FA Cup exit at the hands of Wolves by thrashing title contenders Blackburn 4-0 at Elland Road. Aalf Inge Haaland scored a brace with Lee Bowyer and Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink also on target following a goalless first half. Barnsley meanwhile showed they haven't given up the ghost yet as they snatched three vital points at Aston Villa thanks to a first half Ashley Ward goal which left the Yorkshire side just two points from safety. Manchester United emerged well-satisfied from their tough examination at West Ham as they battled back from Trevor Sinclair's sixth-minute goal for the hosts which threatened to give United their second loss in five days after a weekend defeat at Sheffield Wednesday. United have had a rough ride in East London in recent seasons, losing 1-0 in 1992 to hand the title to Leeds and drawing in 1995 to allow Blackburn to snatch the title from under their noses. This time Scholes, bolstering a strike tandem of Teddy Sheringham and Andy Cole, got them out of jail with a vicious shot on the run for his first goal in four months, although it was a far from vintage performance by the Red Devils. West Ham were clearly fired up for the occasion and, urged on by the ubiquitous Sinclair, caused United numerous problems as they just avoided a seventh league defeat of the season. The Hammers should have wrapped things up in the final stages but Samassi Abou blazed over from barely a yard out following a header on by Steve Lomas. Great Dane Peter Schmeichel had already saved United's bacon by touching a rasping effort from Frank Lampard onto the upright. After Abou's amazing miss, Gary Neville might have stolen a winner for United but his deflected shot crept just wide. Arsenal fans had to wait for their slender win at Selhurst Park as the game was delayed for 30 minutes when a suspicious package was found before kickoff. Once the action finally got under way, class eventually told over Wimbledon's more muscular approach and Wreh's crisp finish after good work by Overmars on the left was enough to claim the points. Marcus Gayle almost bagged a last-gasp equaliser but his close-range effort slid agonisingly wide to leave Wimbledon looking over their shoulders in the lower reaches of the table. Aston Villa's defeat, an unexpected blow coming on the heels of a win at Chelsea, means they are also by no means out of the mire as they have just four points more than the Dons and have played three games more. _________________________________________________________________ |
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