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Cole waves the red rag at Barnsley
By Steve Curry | |
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Man Utd (4) 7 Barnsley (0) 0 IT IS affectionately known as the Theatre of Dreams but yesterday Old Trafford had more the atmosphere of the Madrid bullring as Manchester United ruthlessly put Barnsley to the sword to re-assume leadership of the Premiership. The principal matadors were Andy Cole, with a clinically taken hat-trick, and Ryan Giggs, who weighed in with two virtuoso goals. But the ols were for the quality of United's sweeping, one-touch football. Alex Ferguson's capacity for surprise is endless and it was Teddy Sheringham, his summer signing from Tottenham, who learnt yesterday that there is no such thing as an automatic place in his team of all-stars. The England striker found himself on the substitutes' bench with Cole and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer paired up front and the improving Paul Scholes slotted in just behind them. While Denis Irwin trains with the Republic of Ireland side to meet Belgium in the World Cup play-offs, John Curtis, the latest fledgling from the Ferguson factory, made his full League debut at right-back with Phil Neville on the left and brother Gary partnering Gary Pallister in the middle. Curtis, who captained his country at schoolboy level and in last summer's Coca-Cola World Youth Championships, is, at 19, younger than the 'Fab Five' who have already established their reputations. Barnsley, making their first visit in League competition to Old Trafford for 60 years, came into the game off their second win of the season last week against Coventry and included Slovenian Ales Krizan and Macedonian Georgi Hristov, two of the players manager Danny Wilson has spent £5 million on as he tries to preserve their Premiership place. In these days of change it was almost a throwback to see two teams playing 4-4-2 football, though as always there was flexibility to United's system. In fact, it was Phil Neville who first raised anticipation with a thrilling run from his own half through the heart of the Barnsley midfield and defence, his shot from the edge of the area blocked by Arjan de Zeeuw. United had to wait only until the 17th minute, however, to begin to justify their 1-6 odds, the lowest odds for a Premiership game. Darren Barnard learnt the hard way that you cannot afford to make a mistake against the champions anywhere near the penalty area. Cole seized on a piece of sloppy control to take the ball on and drive it with awesome power past David Watson and, having adjusted his sighting, he scored a second within two minutes. This was much more of an engineered goal, the ball passing from Giggs to Solskjaer and on to Cole, whose finish from 15 yards was again powerfully clinical. He might have got his hat-trick in the 32nd minute, Giggs delivering the pass at the climax of another mazy run, but this time Watson had positioned himself to take the shot in his mid- riff. Yet United were three up three minutes from half-time, Giggs thrilling the faithful with a wonderful run from the halfway line and striking the ball superbly with his right foot into the top right-hand corner. Cole completed his hat-trick a minute later when Giggs played him in and he beat the offside trap to steer his shot into the far corner. The carnage continued in the second half with another burst of goalscoring, two goals in as many minutes and a plethora of breathtaking one-touch football. The ball flowed from Nicky Butt to Giggs to Solskjaer, with Giggs driving the final ball off the woodwork for number five. A minute later it was Cole and Solskjaer setting up Scholes, who cheekily chipped Watson for the sixth. Ferguson could now afford to bring off both David Beckham and Pallister, Karel Poborsky moving to the right and Ronnie Wallwork coming into the heart of defence for his League debut. The seventh came in the 79th minute and was the cheekiest of them all, Poborsky backheeling the ball in at the near post from Cole's cross. __________________________________________________________ Man Utd (4) 7 Barnsley (0) 0 Cole 17, 19, 45, Giggs 43, 56, Poborsky 80, Scholes 59. Man Utd: Schmeichel, G. Neville, Pallister (Wallwork 63), Beckham (Poborsky 55), Butt, Cole, Giggs, P. Neville, Scholes (Cruyff 69), Solskjaer, Curtis. Subs Not Used: Sheringham, McClair. Barnsley: Watson, Eaden, Sheridan, De Zeeuw, Redfearn, Thompson (Bosancic 69), Bullock, Hristov (Hendrie 58), Krizan (Moses 58), Barnard, Ward. Subs Not Used: Marcelle, Leese. Att: 55,142 Ref: M A Riley (Leeds). __________________________________________________________ UNITED TOO HOT - FERGUSON By David Anderson, PA Sport Alex Ferguson feels his on-fire Manchester United side would have been too hot for any side to handle today. Barnsley were the unfortunate team to be on the receiving end of this mauling which took the champions back to the top of the Premiership. "I don't think anybody would have got away with it today," said the United manager. "We were just totally on-song. "You only get performances like that maybe once or twice in a season. "The players all had faith in their ability today, they took the ball well and passed with great accuracy and penetration. "I felt our goals were so well taken that apart from maybe the first one, when their defence hesitated, they were not really the fault of any of their players." United certainly answered their manager after he had suggested they lacked the killer-touch sometimes. "You wonder if they were taking the mickey out of me," joked Ferguson. Andy Cole was transformed from the player who missed a hat-full of chances against Feyenoord in midweek as he fired a first-half hat-trick to take his tally for the season to six. Ferguson, who refused to accept that Cole had been out-of-sorts against the Dutch, said: "He's capable of that - no question of that." But in a match full of outstanding performances, Ferguson picked out Ryan Giggs, who scored twice including a superb individual effort, as his man of the match. "I thought he was superb. If Ryan has a run of games, and touch wood, he stays away from injury and gets some momentum going, he will be an unbelievable asset for us," he said. Paul Scholes weighed in with United's sixth, while substitute Karel Poborsky scored the seventh 11 minutes from time. Barnsley boss Danny Wilson believes United are red-hot favourites to win the title for the third successive year on this performance. "We've played Arsenal and Chelsea so far and they did not rip us up like United did today. They will take some stopping," he said. It was Barnsley's ninth league defeat of the season and they have now conceded 35 goals in 12 games. But Wilson said: "We have come to arguably the best team in Europe and got turned over. I was disappointed with the way we collapsed after the first goal. "If we kept our discipline we might have made a better game of it. We've got to take it on the chin and bounce back as you can't feel sorry for yourself." Ferguson feels Barnsley should not be too downhearted. "They will get points, I'm sure of that, and at the end of the season there are always six or seven teams scrapping away down there. "There are lessons to be learnt from this, but they are not adrift, so there's hope yet." © PA Sporting Life __________________________________________________________ Saturday October 25 2:44 PM EDT Cole hat-trick repays Ferguson's faith By Mitch Phillips LONDON, Oct 25 (Reuters) - In March 1995 Manchester United thrashed Ipswich 9-0 in the English premier league and striker Andy Cole scored four goals. On Saturday it was Barnsley, it was 7-0 and Cole managed just three -- albeit all in the first half. In between those two memorable performances United have won Cups, titles and even doubles. Cole has his medals but after his quadruple strike he could never have dreamed what a tough two and a half years were ahead. In the 1993-94 season he broke Newcastle's 60-year-old scoring record when he notched up 41 goals. He had banged in 15 by January of the following season when Kevin Keegan stunned Newcastle, and football, by selling him to arch rivals Manchester United for 6 million pounds ($9.8 million). Keegan even took to the streets to face irate fans who demanded to know why their hero had gone. United boss Alex Ferguson, meanwhile, quietly thought he had the final piece in the jigsaw to make United the top side in England. They duly became that but, in truth, Cole had little to do with it. Pneumonia, fractured shins, hamstring trouble and various other injuries prevented him getting a long run in the team. And when he did play his confidence seemed to have drained away. The razor-sharp striker who thrilled Newcastle fans and had the masses demanding an England call-up suddenly became famous for glaring misses. In and out of the side, partnered with a series of strikers of varying types, Cole seemed destined to leave Old Trafford. But while the tabloid media speculated on his next move, Ferguson stayed supportive. ``We're not selling. We want to keep all our players,'' was his constant message. In and out of the side this season it seemed Cole was destined never to be United's number one striker. Given his chance in Wednesday's Champions' League game against Feyenoord, Cole, along with most of his team mates, proceeded to miss a hatful of chances. Surely he would be again dropped for Saturday's home banker against lowly Barnsley? No, Ferguson kept faith with his man and within 45 minutes he had a hat-trick and United were 4-0 up. The first goal was typical of those he used to notch regularly in his heyday - seizing on a defensive error to nip in and stab the ball past David Watson. Two minutes later he produced a confident finish after being fed by Ole Gunnar Solskjaer. Ryan Giggs lashed in the third before Cole completed his treble with a sharp break and neat finish. He could have had more in the second half but Ferguson wasn't complaining and was full of support for his much-maligned man. ``I'm not a bit surprised he got a hat-trick -- he creates chances all the time,'' said the manager. ``He's so fast, so sharp. On Wednesday the luck just wasn't with him. Today it was.'' Cole's team mates smothered him when he got his third, obviously delighted that some of the pressure was off a player who has never been accused of not trying. ``The rest of the players know what quality he has. Everyone is pleased for him,'' said Ferguson. The challenge for Cole now is to do it again -- regularly. __________________________________________________________ October 26 1997 United turn on the power Chris Lightbown Manchester United 7 Barnsley 0 AT THE END of this exhilarating performance, Alex Ferguson said nobody would have lived with Manchester United yesterday, and he was right. The fact that it was Andy Cole who scored a hat-trick was virtually irrelevant. Ryan Giggs might well have done the same, and Paul Scholes was not far behind. Of course, Barnsley's presence played its part, but so did United's experience in Europe, for it is finally knitting with their domestic approach. In fact, the turkey shoot took a while to get going. After nine minutes of nothing special, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer swivelled on to the ball but shot wide. Then another effort went wide. As so often, United began cold but clicked into a gear from heaven. Solskjaer was replacing Teddy Sheringham. If there was a time to rest the first-choice man, surely this was it. John Curtis, a 19-year-old, made his debut in place of Denis Irwin, who plays in the Republic of Ireland's World Cup play-off against Belgium in Dublin on Wednesday. Was the difference noticeable? No, it was not. In one of Barnsley's early spasms, young Curtis tackled Darren Barnard with the sort of aplomb Irwin exhibits every week and, thereafter, readily and firmly snapped the ball back and forth with Nicky Butt and Gary Neville. Curtis played his part in the rhythm United slowly built up throughout the opening 30 minutes of the game. Gary Neville popped the ball through Darren Sheridan's legs. The United defender's brother, Phil Neville, stormed across the halfway line until a tackle by Arjan de Zeeuw stopped him, deep in Barnsley's beleagured half. David Beckham positively grabbed at a loose ball hovering at Sheridan's feet, gleefully snapping it on to Solskjaer. The deluge was edging closer. Barnsley did their best, but every inch of their ground was a last ditch. In midfield, Neil Redfearn ran himself into a lather trying to restrict the rapid traffic between Cole and Butt. Whenever he could, Redfearn hit some good passes briskly to Ashley Ward and Georgi Hristov. But whatever Redfearn inspired at one end, it all fell apart at the other. Sheridan was in his own half and under no pressure when he sent De Zeeuw an appalling pass. Cole pounced, the hapless De Zeeuw was rounded, and the United striker lashed a ferocious right-foot shot past David Watson. The deluge had begun. Cole's second goal was the sort of stuff he will tell his grandchildren about. Again, Barnsley lost possession in midfield and Giggs tore into the heart of their defence. Briskly, he swept the ball on to Solskjaer, who promptly squared it to Cole. Without breaking his stride, Cole clinically beat Watson from 20 yards. Wondrous, strident stuff. United now swept into a higher gear. Their third goal was a matter of quick-fire elegance, starting with Scholes and ending with Giggs, while the fourth was a matter of Cole sweeping on to a finely tuned pass from Giggs and shooting home as if hat-tricks were his staple diet. In fact, this was just his second for United. Barnsley kept battling. For as long as they could, their defence, which at times meant the entire team, stuck claustrophobically close to United's men. Just before half-time, Martin Bullock, who never stopped trying to turn the tide, curled in a heroic ball to Hristov, who attempted a volley, but this flopped somewhat tamely into Peter Schmeichel's arms. Bullock crossed hard again, this time towards the lonely figure of Ward, but Curtis got there first and United were off again. Would Giggs finish off Barnsley single-handed? At times, it seemed so. His pace was ferocious, his passing the stuff of imperious certainty. The fifth goal was his and consisted of a whisked interchange of passing between himself and Solskjaer, yet another drive towards poor Watson and a shot that whipped in off the underside of the bar. But United's most impressive attribute was their teamwork. The sixth goal involved Cole passing immaculately to Solskjaer. The Norwegian played in Scholes, who lifted the ball over Watson with the outside of his boot. Easy? Almost. Barnsley's fans added their renowned humour to the situation. At five goals down they assured the home crowd that the conclusion would be a 6-5 win for Barnsley. "It's just like watching Brazil" rang around Old Trafford whenever the visitors put two passes together. "It's like watching City," responded United's cynics. History will record that the seventh goal began with yet another surge by Cole, who was virtually camped in front of poor Watson by now, and that his low cross reached Karel Poborsky, who flicked at it in the style of Denis Law. Easy? No, magnificent. Manchester United: Schmeichel, G Neville, Pallister (Wallwork 63min), Curtis, P Neville, Beckham (Poborsky 55min), Butt, Scholes (Cruyff 68min), Giggs, Cole, Solskjaer. Goalscorers: Cole 17, 19, 45, Giggs 43, 56, Scholes 59, Poborsky 80. Barnsley: Watson, Eaden, Sheridan, De Zeeuw, Redfearn, Thompson (Bosancic 68min), Bullock, Hristov (Moses 60min), Krizan (Hendrie 60min), Barnard, Ward. Weather: cold and cloudy. Ground: pristine. Referee: M Riley (Leeds). Copyright 1997 The Times Newspapers Limited. __________________________________________________________ Man United v Barnsley 25/10/97 3.00 Man United (4) 7 Barnsley (0) 0 FT Cole 17,19,45 Giggs 43,56 Scholes 59 Poborsky 80 Andy Cole blasted a first half hat-trick against lowly Barnsley to fire Manchester United back to the top of the FA Carling Premiership. The striker produced a clinical display of finishing, which was in contrast to his erratic performance in front of goal against Feyenoord in midweek. Ryan Giggs weighed in with two, including a superb individual effort, while Paul Scholes and Karel Poborsky netted one apiece. It was rampant United's biggest league victory since their 9-0 drubbing of Ipswich in March 1995 and it consigned the hapless Tykes to their ninth league defeat of the season. United began the game the hottest favourites, at 1-6, to win a match since the Premiership started and they demonstrated why in Barnsley's first league visit to Old Trafford in 60 years. Cole capitalised on a mix-up in the Barnsley defence to net his first after 17 minutes. The visitors' backline failed to react to Darren Sheridan's pass and Cole nipped in to beat Tykes goalkeeper David Watson. Ninety seconds later, Cole scored his and United's second when Solskjaer set him up on the edge of the area and he applied another confident finish. Cole was on fire and after 22 minutes he spun the Barnsley defence, but this time his shot was straight at Watson. Peter Schmeichel was then called into action to save Neil Redfearn's deflected shot. Georgi Hristov, who was playing up front in place of stomach bug victim Andy Liddell, wasted a great chance to pull a goal back on 37 minutes. Martin Bullock's pass found him unmarked in front of goal, but the Macedonian international shot tamely into Schmeichel's arms. Giggs netted United's third with a typical piece of magic three minutes before the interval when he cut in from the left and unleashed an unstoppable effort into the top corner, giving Watson no chance. Cole duly completed his hat-trick on the stroke of half-time when he converted Solskjaer's through ball with the Barnsley defence nowhere. United were not finished yet, and on 57 minutes Solskjaer released Giggs and the Welshman netted his second and the champions' fifth to take his season's total to three. United continued to pile on the agony and after 59 minutes they sliced through the visitors' defence with Scholes supplying the finish this time for his fifth of the season. Watson then produced a great point-blank save to deny Cole a fourth from Giggs's pass. Karel Poborsky, who was a 55th-minute replacement for David Beckham, scored the seventh from close range in the 79th-minute for his second of the campaign. On a day for league debuts, 19-year-old John Curtis made his in the United defence, which had been weakened by injuries and Denis Irwin's World Cup call-up for the Republic of Ireland, while defender Ronnie Wallwork, 20, made his bow after 63 minutes when he replaced Gary Pallister. Man United: (4-4-2) Schmeichel, G. Neville, Pallister (Wallwork, 63), Beckham (Poborsky, 55), Butt, Cole, Giggs, P. Neville, Scholes (Cruyff, 69), Solskjaer, Curtis. Subs not used: Sheringham, McClair. Barnsley: (4-4-2) Watson, Eaden, Sheridan, De Zeeuw, Redfearn, Thompson (Bosancic, 69), Bullock, Hristov (Hendrie, 58), Krizan (Moses, 58), Barnard, Ward. Subs not used: Marcelle, Leese. Attendance: 55,142. Referee: M A Riley (Leeds). _______________________________________________________________ Seven-up as Manchester United go top of the table (adding details, quotes) By Mitch Phillips LONDON, Oct 25 (Reuters) - A first half hat-trick by Andy Cole helped Manchester United to a "breathtaking" 7-0 demolition of Barnsley on Saturday as the champions eased back to the top of the English premier league. Ryan Giggs (two), Paul Scholes and Karel Poborsky completed the thrashing as United moved to 25 points -- two above Arsenal who play Aston Villa on Sunday. Blackburn trail Arsenal on goal difference after a 1-1 draw at Newcastle. Liverpool were also in the goals, beating Derby 4-0 while Southampton moved off the bottom after coming from behind to beat Tottenham 3-2. Crystal Palace continued their impressive away form with a 3-1 win at Sheffield Wednesday, Wimbledon beat Leeds 1-0 while Coventry against Everton finished goalless. Bolton play Chelsea on Sunday. Manchester United were always likely to beat Barnsley but even by their recent high standards this was a superb show. "That kind of performance doesn't happen very often, when they come you relish them - it was breathtaking," said United manager Alex Ferguson. "The speed and the making of the goals was superb." Cole, who missed several decent chances against Feyenoord in midweek, was back to his clinical best with three well-taken first half goals. Giggs was also on target with a fearsome drive as half time came with United 4-0 up. The champions did not let-up after the break and could easily have had double figures. Ferguson was particularly happy for Cole, who has never really sparked since his 6 million pounds ($9.8 million) move from Newcastle in the 1994-95 season. "I'm not a bit surprised he got a hat-trick -- he creates chances all the time," said the manager. "Everyone was pleased for him." Liverpool had had a week to forget as defeat by Everton was followed by a feeble 3-0 loss against Strasbourg in the UEFA Cup. But they played some neat football on the way to ending Derby's seven match unbeaten run with two goals by Robbie Fowler and one each for Oyvind Leonhardson and Steve McMananam. Fowler got them moving and Leonhardson's first for the club made it 2-0. Fowler then blazed a penalty over the bar after Michael Owen was felled but made amends with his second soon after. Steve McManaman, back to his best wide on the left, completed the victory with a rare header. "We've taken some criticism, much of it deserved, and the response today was excellent," said manager Roy Evans, highly frustrated after the midweek debacle in France. "We asked them to go out and show their commitment to the club and they did that. We deserved what we got today," he added. Blackburn kept up their good form but had to come from behind at Newcastle. Keith Gillespie put the hosts ahead after 27 minutes but Chris Sutton's 11th of the season earned a valuable point. New Southampton signing David Hirst scored two on his home debut as the bottom club twice came from behind to beat Tottenham. Portuguese striker Jose Dominguez put Spurs ahead with a brilliant 30 metre shot only for Ramon Vega to level the score with an own goal. David Ginola restored Spurs' lead in the 65th minute but Hirst turned it Saints' way. Wimbledon beat Leeds with a 29th minute Neal Ardley penalty while goals from Icelander Hermann Hreidarsson, Simon Rodger and Neil Shipperley earned Crystal Palace their fourth away win of the season. Unfortunately they have yet to win at home. © Reuters Limited 1997 |
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