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United's superior skills emphasise great divide
By Colin Malam at Anfield | |
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Liverpool (0) 1 Man Utd (0) 3 QUALITY will out, they say, and the old saw was hardly disproved here yesterday morning. Manchester United won a typically fierce contest against their great Lancashire rivals with sufficient authority to make the joyful second-half taunt of the visiting fans, "Outclassed by the champions", a pretty accurate summing-up of the match. Generously, Alex Ferguson, United's manager, tried to be kind afterwards to their opponents. No, he said, this comprehensive defeat had not knocked Liverpool out of the race for the Premiership title. They had contributed just as much to the game as United and were a young side who were likely to get better as the season went on. The truth of the matter, however, is that the gulf in ability that has opened up between these two great northern bastions in recent years was demonstrated beyond all reasonable doubt. Liverpool may have a game in hand, but they are now all of 12 points behind United's leadership of the table and looking increasingly unlikely to make up that kind of deficit. United now look so complete a team, and are in such commanding form, that it is difficult to see any of their English pursuers catching them. It is no disgrace for Liverpool, therefore, to say that only when Robbie Fowler brought them level from the penalty spot on the hour did the home side look remotely capable of winning this match. That illusion lasted just the nine minutes of play that took place before David Beckham broke the spirit of the team in red (United wore their fancy, white away strip) with a sudden resurgence of his free-kick magic. Roy Evans replaced two defenders, Bjorn Tore Kvarme and Stig Inge Bjornebye, with two attackers, Patrik Berger and Karlheinz Riedle, in the second half and attempted to swamp United with the attacking waves that have broken many a team playing with their backs to the Kop. But not this United. Defending solidly throughout, they simply went up to the other end and enabled Andy Cole to score his second goal of the match. All the goals came in a second half that offered a good deal more entertainment than the first. The opening 45 minutes had been the war of attrition into which such important fixtures between two of the game's giants often lapse. Even when the play was at its fastest and most furious, though, and the tackles were making teeth rattle, United's passing and cohesion were always noticeably better than Liverpool's. For the most part, neither side could muster more than a few half-chances before the interval. Robbie Fowler shot and headed wide at one end, while David James did not have to exert himself unduly to save from Ryan Giggs, twice, Teddy Sheringham and Nicky Butt. The clearest opening fell to Steve McManaman from Fowler's return pass, but the Liverpool captain succeeded only in playing the ball inconclusively across goal with his weaker left foot. What tipped the balance in United's favour was the terrible mistake Kvarme made five minutes into the second half. Having been the epitome of reliability up to then, the Norwegian centre-back allowed himself to be flustered by Cole's challenge. Trying to pass the ball back to James, he succeeded only in rolling it into Cole's path. United's reborn striker could have shot there and then, but he realised that James had closed him down. So calmly carrying the ball inside Dominic Matteo's vain attempt to come across and save the day, Cole widened the angle for himself and planted a right-footed shot beyond James's dive. Liverpool got back into the game when Michael Owen was brought down inside the penalty area by Butt and Philip Neville. Asserting his seniority over Owen again on his return after suspension, Fowler took the penalty kick and sent Schmeichel the wrong way. Ferguson said he looked for the right response from his players at that point, and he was not disappointed. Even before he recaptured his deadly way with free kicks, Beckham nearly put United back in the lead with a fierce daisy-cutter from 25 yards that James saved only by stretching his 6 ft 5 in frame to its full extent as he dived desperately to his right. Then, after 69 minutes, Jamie Carragher allowed his natural combativeness to get out of hand and fouled Cole just outside the penalty area in a central position. It was perfectly placed for Beckham to flight the free kick over Liverpool's defensive wall and in off the underside of the bar; but the young midfielder has not being doing that sort of thing this season until now. From then on, the last 20 minutes were played out against the curious background of complete silence in all areas of the ground but the small enclave at the Anfield Road end containing around 4,000 celebrating United fans. They erupted again 16 minutes from the end, when Cole gave the win a real stamp of authority by sweeping home at the far post the Giggs corner Sheringham had flicked on at the near post. Riedle nearly pulled one back for Liverpool near the end by getting in a shot despite the heavy-handed attentions of Henning Berg. But even the sullen, frustrated Liverpool fans had to admit that the final score was a fair reflection of the superiority of a United team seemingly on course for their fifth title in six seasons. __________________________________________________________ Liverpool (0) 1 Man Utd (0) 3 Fowler 60 pen; Cole 51, Beckham 70, Cole 74. Liverpool: James, Kvarme (Berger 60), McAteer, McManaman, Leonhardsen, Fowler, Redknapp, Owen, Bjornebye (Riedle 72), Matteo, Carragher. Subs Not Used: Babb, Harkness, Nielson. Booked: Carragher, Redknapp. Man Utd: Schmeichel, G. Neville, Johnsen, Pallister, Beckham, Butt, Cole, Sheringham, Giggs, P. Neville, Berg. Subs Not Used: McClair, Poborsky, Van Der Gouw, Solskjaer, Mulryne. Booked: Johnsen, Butt. Att: 41,027 Ref: D R Elleray (Harrow-on-the-Hill). __________________________________________________________ Saturday December 6 9:41 AM EDT Manchester United leave rivals trailing By Alan Baldwin LONDON, Dec 6 (Reuters) - Andy Cole and David Beckham tore Liverpool apart on Saturday in a 3-1 win that sent Manchester United six points clear in the premier league and gave no encouragement to their title rivals. Second-placed Chelsea, on 31 points to United's 37, had the chance to cut the lead to three points at Tottenham later on Saturday while third-placed Blackburn, on 30 points, were at home to Bolton. Liverpool have 25 points. The measure of United's victory, their fourth away win in the league in a season that sees them still unbeaten at home, added to the growing sense that the championship has their name all over it. Cole scored twice to take his season's tally in all competitions to 15 goals, 12 of them coming in the last eight games, while Beckham's 69th minute free kick was the sort of goal talked about admiringly long after the match. The England midfielder sent the ball dipping over the defensive wall and in off the crossbar. Cole had opened the scoring in the 51st minute, lashing a right-footed shot past David James after slipping neatly past struggling Norwegian defender Bjorn Tore Kvarme, who had been doubtful before the match because of injury. Liverpool cancelled that out with a 60th minute penalty awarded after Steve McManaman fed the ball through into the area for teenager Michael Owen. He was then brought down in a sandwich tackle by Nicky Butt and Phil Neville. Robbie Fowler took the spot kick, sending Peter Schmeichel the wrong way for his ninth goal of the season. Beckham's goal put United, champions four times in the past five seasons, back in the driving seat and Cole put the match beyond doubt in the 74th minute from close range after a headed flick-on from Teddy Sheringham. After the match United's odds were shortened to 7-2 on favourites to win the title with Liverpool, who lost to United both home and away last season, at 10-1. ``We worked hard the whole game and I think we deserved it,'' said Beckham who never had any doubts that his free kick was heading into the back of the net. ``To be honest, before it had even gone in the goal I started to run off because I had a funny feeling that it was going in. ``I've had some criticism about my free kicks and the dead ball things and I think I've just silenced them.'' United manager Alex Ferguson, who has been eyeing Chilean striker Marcello Salas despite Cole's form and the wave of goals that has taken United to the European Cup quarter-finals, could only be pleased. ``We looked the better side, you never get it easy here and you have to work for whatever you get. Liverpool manager Roy Evans, with midfielder Paul Ince suspended, was left again ruing his side's defensive vulnerabilities and inconsistency after the 1-0 win over Arsenal at Highbury last weekend. ``Occasionally, you've got to kick the ball in the stands and we've got to learn to do that,'' he said, while refusing to dilute his team's hopes for the season. ``It's too early for anyone to start handing them the title and I'm sure Alex won't be saying its all over. We've got plenty of work to do.'' __________________________________________________________ FERGUSON SALUTES COLE By Martin Lipton, PA Sport Chief Soccer Writer Andy Cole plundered another brace to rock Anfield to its foundations and left Manchester United manager Alex Ferguson delightedly admitting: "He's sensational." Goal-king Cole has reclaimed his throne in two stunning months, finding the net 12 times in eight matches. His diamond double took his season's tally to a best-ever United return of 15 with six months of the season left and move Ferguson's rampant Reds 12 points clear of Roy Evans' men. The first was proof of Cole's rediscovered killer-instinct as he made Bjorn Kvarme pay the fullest price for a defensive howler and then skipped past Dominic Matteo before hammering home. Robbie Fowler briefly drew Liverpool level with a penalty, before David Beckham staked an early claim for the December Goal of the Month competition with a freekick past David James before he could move. Cole then administered the coup de grace after Teddy Sheringham had flicked on a Ryan Giggs corner. For Old Trafford supremo Ferguson the partnership the one-time £7million misfit has forged with Teddy Sheringham is reason for everybody to beware. "You can't say any more than describe Andy as sensational at the moment," said Ferguson. "He's finally getting a run of games, his fitness has followed and he's razor-sharp, excellent. "The great thing is that he and Teddy are electric together, absolutely brilliant. They relate to each other so well. "Teddy is such a clever player and after the initial three or four games when he had to get used to the pace we play - which was a surprise to him - he's adjusted so well. "They're just so comfortable with each other. Today they always had the Liverpool defenders on edge. Andy's fitness has helped, but it's been very good for us - long may it continue!" Ferguson might be the only manager in the country - England coach Glenn Hoddle excepted - who thinks like that, after United claimed what was only their third Anfield victory in 11 visits. But while it took 51 minutes for Cole to make the breakthrough, United always had something in hand. Sheringham's aerial mastery over Kvarme and Matteo was total, and although Liverpool looked to match United's physical intensity, the absence of Paul Ince was keenly felt as Nicky Butt and Ronny Johnsen - in for the unlucky Ole Solskjaer - won all the important battles. It was Sheringham who went closest in the first half, grazing the outside of the post after Ryan Giggs' run onto his knockdown had seen Jason McAteer bailed out of an own goal by James' knee. Sheringham, Cole and Giggs had all gone close as well, and even if this was not a vintage performance, the signs of what were to come were clear. With Fowler lacking match-sharpness after his three-game ban - Evans agreed that extra bite was lacking - skipper Steve McManaman was their only real hope. But he squandered a great opening before the break after being sent in by Fowler's hooked return, only to stab weakly across Peter Schmeichel's goal. While Fowler did briefly restore Merseyside hopes when he slotted home the penalty, after Michael Owen tumbled under a Butt challenge on the hour, United stepped on the accelerator. Beckham's goal, a 20-yarder which dipped over the wall and in off the bar, was bizarrely his first dead-ball score of the season, coming a minute or so after he had forced James to make a full-length dive to his right. That gave Cole the platform to finish Liverpool off after himself hitting the sidenetting, sparking an impromptu party with the United fans behind the Anfield Road goal and giving them licence to taunt their fiercest rivals. Evans' side left the field knowing they had been handed a lesson and the Liverpool boss, determined to stand up to the criticism he knows will be aimed at him, suggested United might now prove uncatchable. "Normally United are a bit behind the race at this time of the season," said Evans. "Now they're ahead of it. "If they can continue what they're doing at the moment, there's not much hope for the rest of us. "I'm not saying they're champions yet, but they're better than anybody else we've come up against, a bloody good team. "Somebody's got to stop them, but we couldn't manage it. They did to us what they've been doing to good teams all over Europe - sometimes you've just got to sit back and say how well they've done." Ferguson will not accept the championship laurels yet either. He is determined to allow not the slightest hint of complacency to set in nor a hint of gloating. "It's never easy coming here," said Ferguson. "We're a stronger side than they are at the moment, but this match is different from other games. "The good thing was the way we reacted to their goal. I'm not sure it was a penalty, but we were so determined to go on and win it." Even so, it was the ideal send-off for Wednesday's Champions' League trip to possibly evict Juventus from the competition, even if, as Evans conceded, his team had been their own worst enemies. "You can't give away daft goals," Evans added, his eyes rolling at the thought of another catalogue of cock-ups. "You sit there in the dug-out and try to keep a level head, because it's no good ranting and raving, but inside you're not too clever." Neither were his team as United showed again how deep is the divide between them and the team their fans love to beat more than anybody. "Evans must stay," they chanted cruelly, followed by "It's just like watching Barnsley". But "Outclassed by the champions" summed it up. They were and how much that will hurt. © PA Sporting Life __________________________________________________________ BECKS: I KNEW IT WOULD GO IN David Beckham hailed his brilliant free-kick in the win at Liverpool as one of his finest ever moments. The England midfielder's strike gave United a 2-1 lead at Anfield, setting up a brilliant 3-1 triumph for Alex Ferguson's men. Afterwards the midfielder boasted afterwards the shot that deflected off the underside of the bar and into the net was one of his finest moments. "Before it had even gone in the goal I had a funny feeling it was going in," he said. "I've had some criticism about my free-kicks ..... and I think I've silenced them." Two-goal hero Cole insisted that he was confident he would keep his place in the team despite manager Alex Ferguson's interest in securing another centre-forward. "Yes, the way we're playing at the moment we're scoring loads of goals and creating a lot of chances." But as far as writing off Liverpool's chances in the Championship race, Cole said: "There's loads of games to go, it's not even Christmas. "You can't write anybody off at the moment." Manager Alex Ferguson admitted this his team are in a strong position after the victory, but paid tribute to the hosts. "You've got to give credit to Liverpool for a lot of the football that was played. "It wasn't just us, Liverpool contributed a lot to that game," he said. "But you have to work for whatever you get here, and I think we've worked hard for the result and I think we played well for a lot of the game." Liverpool boss Roy Evans conceded the defeat was a severe blow to his team's title hopes - but refused to rule the Reds out of the championship race. The loss saw them drop 12 points behind United, but Evans' men have a game in hand. "It's a long way behind, and obviously we would have liked to take the points, but we've got to roll our sleeves up and it's too early for anyone to start handing them the title," Evans insisted. "I'm sure Alex won't be saying it's all over. "But we've got plenty of work to do." Evans' bemoaned Liverpool's defensive effort at Anfield and warned his team must improve in front of goal if they are to take any hope of staying in the title race into the New Year. "You've got to be honest about it, it wasn't good," Evans said. "Okay, the freekick is something special, but the other two goals were very poor from our point of view. "Occasionally you've got to kick the ball in the stands, and we've got to learn to do that. © PA Sporting Life __________________________________________________________ United show true class (The Sunday Times) Joe Lovejoy at Anfield Liverpool 1 Manchester United 3 The goal that broke Liverpool THEY UNVEILED a bronze statue of Bill Shankly at Anfield in midweek, and that may be the best Liverpool can do this season. Bronze. The impression that United are in a class of their own, and destined for a third successive championship, was fuelled by a comprehensive win which ruthlessly exposed recurring shortcomings in the team widely tipped to end their monopoly. In the corresponding fixture in April, United won by the same score to kill off Liverpool's title hopes. None of the participants was saying as much last night, but they must surely have done the same. No one in England is good enough to take on Alex Ferguson's team on level terms, let alone give them a 12-point start. Liverpool's season hinged on this result. They simply had to win - a favourable result deemed essential to their annual aspirations and to the wellbeing of Roy Evans. Instead, United prevailed with plenty to spare. Two more goals from Andy Cole and the sort of free kick David Beckham seemed to have mislaid at the end of last season condemned Liverpool to a deserved defeat, and their suffering manager to mocking cries of "Evans must stay" from the visiting legions. Long before the end, a funereal hush had descended on the Kop. No prizes for guessing whose funeral it is likely to be come the end of the season - if not earlier - unless there is a dramatic improvement. The contrast at the final whistle could scarcely have been more marked. The United players capered joyfully and embraced one another. Liverpool, beaten and demoralised, trooped off with heads bowed against a background of derisory gestures and catcalling. Liverpool's glaring weaknesses are at the back, where they no longer possess full-backs capable of bringing the ball out into midfield, and rely too heavily on the long, hit-and-hope clearance, which is pretty pointless with no conventional targetman to aim at. Worse, their central defenders seemed to shrink, rather than stand tall under crosses, and there is no Hansen or Lawrenson - not even a Mark Wright - to bring cultured order to chaos. There was also fault here in midfield, where in the absence of the suspended Paul Ince, Evans turned for ball-winning muscle to Jamie Carragher, who is rough, but not ready. But most disappointing of all, perhaps, was Steve McManaman, who said in his newspaper column yesterday that he had no time for playing in the morning, and was as good as his word. He didn't. Apart, that is, from one horrendous miss. United were confidence personified, as befits a team with 31 goals in their last eight League games. With better luck, or more composure where it matters most, they would have had a couple more. Breakfast over, the man from Sky gave the signal to kick off, and the Kop turned all mosaic, flourishing thousands of red and yellow cards. David Elleray quickly showed three yellow ones of his own as the players went at it hammer and tongs in the first half. United used Ronny Johnsen in midfield to negate McManaman, and Liverpool deployed Carragher to rattle any cage that came to hand. Fractious and frenetic, it was no classic. Fowler, recalled at the expense of Riedle, wasted the sort of headed chance the German thrives on, Giggs brought a reaching save from James and Sheringham was wastefully wide twice, but the abiding memory of a forgettable first half is of McManaman finishing feebly after a neat, progressive build-up in which Fowler and Redknapp were prominent. It needed to get better, and to universal relief it did. Six minutes into the second half Phil Neville's header saw Kvarme lose out in a tussle for possession with Cole, who jinked to his right, evading Matteo before shooting low into James's right-hand corner. It was a classic finish from a man right back at the top of his form. Liverpool responded well, and were level on the hour, when Butt brought down Owen 12 yards out and Fowler made short work of the penalty. For a time Anfield was the cauldron of old as Owen's grit created a shooting chance for Leonhardsen, deflected wide. It was United's turn to show their mettle now, and they reacted like champions, regaining the lead within 10 minutes with a lovely strike from Beckham. He punished Carragher's foul on Cole with a curving 20-yarder which beat James via the underside of his crossbar. All that remained was for Cole to underline his renaissance, and United's superiority, with his 15th goal of the season, side-footed home from close in after Sheringham had nodded down a Giggs corner. Game over at 3-1. Alex Ferguson was at his magisterial best. "I think we're stronger than Liverpool," he said. "They are a young team, and that makes it more difficult when we play well like that." Evans was also in familiar mode - rueful and resigned. "They've been doing that to teams all over England - and Europe, too," he said. "But the goals we gave away were pretty dismal, and I'll probably read I'm getting the sack all next week." And so to Turin. Juventus next Wednesday will be something else, but only brave and foolish men bet against United these days. Liverpool: James, Kvarme (Berger 60min), McAteer, Matteo, Carragher, Bjornebye (Riedle 72min), Leonhardsen, Fowler, Redknapp, McManaman, Owen. Scorers: Fowler 60 (pen). Manchester United: Schmeichel, G Neville, Pallister, P Neville, Johnsen, Berg, Butt, Beckham, Cole, Sheringham, Giggs. Scorers: Cole 41, 74, Beckham 70. Booked: Carragher, Redknapp, Johnsen, Butt. Referee: D Elleray (Harrow-on-the-Hill). Attendance: 41,027. Copyright 1997 The Times Newspapers Limited. __________________________________________________________ Hugh McIlvanney considers the contrasting fortunes of the two managers in the wake of yesterday's Premier League clash at Anfield Ferguson soars higher as Evans looks into abyss ALEX FERGUSON'S face as he left Anfield at lunch-time was a glowing reflection of the current health of Manchester United. Across Roy Evans's features lay the shadow of the troubles that continue to gather around Liverpool with a remorselessness that threatens his job. Ferguson's head swarms with dilemmas, but they are all of the kind that can be articulated with the shrug and comfortable smile of a rich man worried about how to exploit his wealth. Selection is his problem. Evans's concern is nothing less than resurrection. "I'll probably be getting the sack again for the rest of the week," the Liverpool manager said quietly after United had compounded his miseries with a second-half display of coherence and authority that made his acknowledgment of their supremacy in the Premier League unavoidable for such an honest professional. "It's too early to name them champions - injuries and suspensions can intervene - but they're definitely better than anybody else we've come up against. If they continue with what they are doing, there can't be much hope for the rest of us. They're a bloody good team." Evans had a right to emphasise that the ludicrous 51st-minute blunder with which Bjorn Tore Kvarme surrendered the ball to Andy Cole for the first goal was crucial, and that the ball should have been cleared long before a foul on the edge of the penalty area gave David Beckham the opportunity to deliver one of the most stunning free kicks even he has ever struck. But the conviction with which United responded to the Robbie Fowler penalty that brought the score level at 1-1 was enough in itself to persuade the few neutrals among the 41,027 spectators of Liverpool's basic inferiority. Once Beckham had blasted that free kick in off the underside of the bar in a blur of controlled power, victory was virtually certain, and the third goal merely underlined the growing discrepancy between these two great northern clubs. Liverpool in their dominant years were miserly with the ball, but here they were disastrously prodigal, betraying an anxiety traceable not only to the hurtful results they have endured lately but also to nervousness shown in their defenders by the alertness of Teddy Sheringham and Cole. "They are electric together at the moment," Ferguson enthused afterwards. "My hardest job was deciding to leave out Ole Gunnar Solskjaer. The lad has been tremendous for us and he doesn't deserve to be on the bench, but he knows how effective Teddy and Andy are as a partnership. Cole's freedom from injury and the healthy volume of games he has been able to play have made him razor-sharp, and Teddy, after taking a few matches to adjust to the pace of our game, has become a marvellously composed player for us." One reason for Ferguson's omission of Solskjaer had been the specific organisation of his midfield to cope with the possibility that Steve McManaman would be used to launch penetrating runs from Liverpool's central midfield. The United manager had felt he might need four men across the middle, with Ronny Johnsen given the special responsibility for policing McManaman. In the event, the enigmatic dribbler operated almost exclusively from deep wide positions (more successfully on the left) and, as Ferguson admitted: "We could easily have got away with using Solskjaer." Ferguson says it is his intention to field the Norwegian on Wednesday, when United complete the formality of winning their Champions League section when they play Juventus. "Solskjaer is a magnificent finisher and just think what an attack we will have if we can integrate him with Cole and Sheringham in their present mood," Ferguson said. "I'm concerned about the yellow cards carried by Giggs and Scholes, and that complicates the question of whether we should try to dump Juventus out of the competition by going wholeheartedly for a win on Wednesday. Scholes, because of the absence caused by his suspension, needs a game, but it would be an option to leave out Giggs and have three across the midfield." Dilemmas, dilemmas. But behind them all is the reassurance contained in a remark uttered by Sir Bobby Charlton in the Anfield foyer. "We're a good team," was all he said. It was all he had to say. Copyright 1997 The Times Newspapers Limited. __________________________________________________________ FA-Carling Net Liverpool v Man United 06/12/97 11.15 Liverpool (0) 1 Man United (0) 3 FT Fowler 60 (pen) Cole 51,74 Beckham 70 Andy Cole's astonishing goal rush rocked Anfield to its foundations as Liverpool suffered a home defeat that could effectively spell the end of their title hopes. The former Newcastle striker has become a scoring force reborn as Alex Ferguson earned the reward for keeping faith with the man so many United fans would have sold given half a chance. And Cole's double - flanking a real sparkler from the right foot of David Beckham - made it 12 in his last eight games and 15 for the season. Cole's first showed the conviction he has refound in the past two months. Bjorn Kvarme made a hash of a clearance six minutes into the second half and there was no looking back as Cole raced past Dominic Matteo before crashing home. Liverpool briefly scented hope when Robbie Fowler marked his return from suspension by converting from the spot after young Michael Owen went over in the box. But that tantalising glimpse of victory over their fiercest rivals was snatched away as United showed the character and determination of champions. Beckham regained the lead for United with an excellent free-kick from 20 yards. And then Cole finished Liverpool off to confirm only United's third Anfield triumph in 11 seasons, a simple conversion after Teddy Sheringham had flicked on Ryan Giggs' corner. [INLINE] By the end it was all so simple, Liverpool dispirited, United toying with them, their fans revelling in the moment, and the ideal preparation for Wednesday's Champions' league trip to Turin. But for Liverpool and Roy Evans, now 12 points beyond the champions, the outlook is as grey as the glowering clouds that hung heavy over a December morning that had started full of hope. There are fewer occasions that mean as much to the fans, and that sheer passion transmitted itself to the players from the opening minutes. Tackles flew in with an intensity that almost had the stands shuddering, and Ferguson's decision to send Ronny Johnsen into the battleground to the surprise exclusion of Ole Gunnar Solskjaer looked understandable. Whereas United had reinforced the midfield, Liverpool missed the suspended Paul Ince, with Nicky Butt in particular winning all the battles. On a couple of occasions the England man was just too keen in his cutting edge, rightly booked - and joined in quick succession by Johnsen and Jamie Carragher - for flattening Jamie Redknapp. But the main difference between the sides was in confidence. United believed their working of the ball to create space would bring chances, whereas Liverpool looked to Owen and Fowler to contrive an opening. And where Sheringham showed an aerial mastery over Dominic Matteo and Kvarme from the outset - Cole's sharpness hinting at a killer blow - Fowler looked like a man just back from a three-match ban. Not that there was an abundance of real chances. Fowler sneaked in behind the United back line to head over from Stig Bjornebye early on, but it was the champions who threatened most. Teddy Sheringham should have scored after his header dropped to Giggs. He half-bundled his way through, although it was actually Kvarme's interception that bounced off James' knee. The ball to fall to Sheringham 12 yards out, but with the goal to aim at his left-footer flicked off the outside of the upright. A minute later Pallister led a four versus three counter, his attempted ball to the screaming Beckham skewing off his foot, before Butt escaped with a finger-wagging from David Elleray after going through Jason McAteer. It could have been red and Liverpool would then have been even more furious if, after popping up at the end of a superb length of the field move instigated by Beckham, Butt had lifted over rather than at James. But it was Liverpool who missed the next real opening. Steve McManaman had done nothing on the right, but switched to the left he was far more prominent. [INLINE] It was through that channel that the winger found himself one on one after receiving Fowler's hooked return, a chance far easier than the one he had taken at Highbury last week. But with Peter Schmeichel confronting him, McManaman passed on responsibilty, a nothing ball inside that United hacked away. It was a mental frailty which became all the more costly when Kvarme committed his aberration six minutes into the second period to let Cole open the scoring. United were flying, Liverpool rocking, and it might have been two within three minutes, James failing to claim, Sheringham setting up Giggs, and Matteo blocking desperately. Liverpool needed something, and got it. McManaman skipped into space, fed Owen, and when he tumbled under the weight of a Butt challenge, with Phil Neville in close attention - Mr Elleray had no doubts. Fowler's conversion was equally emphatic, and with Evans deciding this was the moment to send on Patrik Berger for Kvarme, Carragher reverting to the back, the pendulum looked as if it might be swinging Liverpool's way. Cue Beckham. James did well to save his stinging right footer in the 67th minute, but two minutes later there was nothing he or any other keeper on earth could have done. Carragher brought down Cole and Beckham stepped up to hit the ball with such precision and crispness that it was over the wall and in off the bar before James could even move. Evans sent on Karlheinz Riedle for Bjornebye, but it was a lost cause. Cole proved that with 16 minutes left. Sheringham flicked on Giggs' corner, Cole rifled it home, and the taunting began from the United fans. Liverpool: James, Kvarme (Berger, 60), McAteer, McManaman, Leonhardsen, Fowler, Redknapp, Owen, Bjornebye (Riedle, 72), Matteo, Carragher. Subs not used: Babb, Harkness, Nielson. Booked: Carragher, Redknapp. Man United: Schmeichel, G. Neville, Johnsen, Pallister, Beckham, Butt, Cole, Sheringham, Giggs, P. Neville, Berg. Subs not used: McClair, Poborsky, Van Der Gouw, Solskjaer, Mulryne. Booked: Johnsen, Butt. Attendance: 41,027. Referee: D R Elleray (Harrow-on-the-Hill). |
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