Copy from
Electronic Telegraph


Saturday 11 April 1998
Issue 1051


United frustrated as Owen joy turns sour
By Henry Winter


External Links

Liverpool Pics
Download United Program/Patch files



   Man Utd (1) 1 Liverpool (1) 1
   
   HOURS before this high-octane contest, the great Pele had
   opened Old Trafford's new museum. Whether any glass cabinets will be
   needed for the 1997-98 season remains a moot point after Manchester
   United were deservedly pegged back by a hugely determined Liverpool
   last night.
   
   This stuttering display from Alex Ferguson's champions, in which they
   failed to capitalise on Michael Owen's 40th-minute dismissal for two
   spiteful challenges, affords second-placed Arsenal the opportunity of
   moving within a point by the end of the Easter programme. With two
   games in hand.
   
   For all the movement on the satchel-men's boards, United retain the
   edge, albeit a paper-thin one. Arsenal, meet Newcastle today, travel
   to Blackburn on Monday and have still to visit third-placed Liverpool,
   where they still hold a belief that the championship can be theirs.
   "The towel's not gone in yet," said Roy Evans, the manager of 33-1
   Liverpool. "We are still in the title race with a slight chance."
   
   Ferguson agreed there had been a swing in fortunes towards Highbury.
   "The balance of power is with Arsenal now," said United's manager,
   perhaps cranking up the pressure on Arsne Wenger's men. "They can only
   throw the title away. But they can always lose a game that nobody
   expects them to lose."
   
   Ferguson also confirmed that Ronny Johnsen's season is probably over,
   following Owen's nasty lunge that left the United centre-half with
   ankle-ligament damage. Already booked for a crude follow-through on
   Peter Schmeichel, Owen had to depart. So the first half concluded with
   both goalscorers already down the tunnel, Owen in shame and Johnsen on
   a stretcher.
   
   Evans attempted to defend the England teenager, who was being watched
   by John Gorman, Glenn Hoddle's No 2. "They [United] were winding him
   up for part of the game," said Evans. "The guy wants to win. It was a
   bit of over-enthusiasm but there was more going on than meets the eye.
   But he's got to learn the game."
   
   Danny Murphy, who performed superbly as Liverpool's lone striker
   following Owen's expulsion, said: "He's a young lad but something's
   been said out on the pitch and he got a bit wound up. He was a bit
   unlucky to get sent off."
   
   Owen, to his credit, disagreed. "The ref was right to send me off
   although there was no bad intent in either challenge. I realise I let
   my team-mates down although they did really well to earn a draw."
   
   So they did in a match that contained everything, endless incident
   before the break and unbelievable tension after it. From the first
   minute, when Brad Friedel saved from Ryan Giggs and then Phil Babb
   cleared from Paul Scholes, the game shimmered with excitement and
   intensity.
   
   It was real end-to-end stuff, with no quarter asked or offered.
   Liverpool buzzed with positive intent. On came Evans's young team,
   Steve McManaman unleashing a shot saved at the second attempt by
   Schmeichel.
   
   United struck back, exploiting Liverpool's frailties at set-pieces
   after 12 minutes. The lack of height and organisation in Evans's
   defence was again seen as Johnsen climbed high, rising between Paul
   Ince and Dominic Matteo to head David Beckham's corner past Friedel.
   
   United were jubilant. How their fans crowed. Yet Liverpool showed
   their calibre, reorganising and passing the ball around well.
   McManaman was denied by Gary Neville's goal-line block. Ince,
   viciously booed by his old supporters, then tested Schmeichel with a
   low shot that the Dane did well to push away.
   
   Still they attacked, these stirred-up Merseysiders. McManaman wasted
   Murphy's lovely through-ball but, in the 37th minute, Liverpool
   levelled, following a United defensive mix-up. Gary Pallister paused
   as Owen chased Murphy's pass, the seasoned stopper expecting
   Schmeichel to come out. Pallister's indecision proved costly, the pacy
   Owen lifting the ball over Schmeichel.
   
   When Owen caught Johnsen from behind, the game appeared United's for
   the taking. Yet the departure of Giggs, feeling his hamstring, had
   reduced United's ability to stretch the 10 men of Liverpool. The
   team-mates Owen left behind performed remarkably, closing down United
   players, disrupting the supply-lines and blocking everything in front
   of Friedel. They were resilience personified.
   
   United enjoyed only a handful of real chances, to Andy Cole twice and
   Scholes, who shot fractionally wide, an effort that drew gasps of
   frustration from the home hordes. Liverpool, with Matteo now a rock in
   defence, were content to hit on the break. Murphy showed class in
   turning Phil Neville and dispatching a 25-yarder just over. Oyvind
   Leonhardsen, having slipped David May, brought a good save from
   Schmeichel. A draw, though, was deserved. The real victors yesterday
   were Arsenal.
   _________________________________________________________________
   
   Man Utd (1) 1 Liverpool (1) 1
   Johnsen 12; Owen 36.

   Man Utd: Schmeichel, G. Neville, Irwin, Johnsen (May 43), Pallister,
   Beckham, Butt, Cole, Giggs (Thornley 38), P. Neville (Sheringham 65),
   Scholes. Subs Not Used: Van Der Gouw, Berg. Booked: Butt.

   Liverpool: Friedel, Jones, Matteo, Babb, Harkness, McManaman,
   Redknapp, Ince, Leonhardsen, Owen, Murphy (Berger 75). Subs Not Used:
   James, Kvarme, Thomas, Carragher. Sent Off: Owen (40). Booked: Owen,
   Leonhardsen.

   Att: 55,171
   Ref: G Poll (Tring).
   _________________________________________________________________

   April 11 1998 FOOTBALL 

   Ten-man Liverpool frustrate United's title chasers
   
   Red mark on Owen's record
   
   BY OLIVER HOLT FOOTBALL CORRESPONDENT
   
   MANCHESTER UNITED 1 LIVERPOOL 1
   
   AS FRAGILE as a kite in the tempests that overwhelmed the country
   yesterday, the advantage in the race for the championship that has
   veered crazily between Manchester United and Arsenal in this climax to
   the season took another dramatic twist at Old Trafford last night when
   Alex Ferguson's team were held to a galling draw by their old enemies,
   Liverpool.
   
   In a match that was marred by the first-half sending-off of Michael
   Owen, Liverpool's teenage striking prodigy, for an horrific tackle on
   Ronnie Johnsen, United not only failed to gain the three points that
   would have handed them a significant lead over their rivals from North
   London in the FA Carling Premiership, they also suffered a recurrence
   of the injury problems that had done much to derail their early-season
   dominance.
   
   Johnsen suffered damage to his ankle ligaments and Ryan Giggs, so
   often the inspiration for United, was also forced to come off before
   the end of the first half with a recurrence of his hamstring problem.
   
   After their stylish, gritty comeback victory over Blackburn Rovers on
   Monday had seemed to steady their championship nerves, United appeared
   to be ready to tackle the final run-in with gusto. Even though they
   took an early lead yesterday, they ran out of steam, allowed Liverpool
   a sloppy equaliser and never really looked like grabbing the winner,
   even against ten men. For Liverpool, lying in third place, the result
   almost certainly ends their own slender hopes of winning the
   championship.
   
   United are now seven points clear of Arsenal, but Arsène Wenger, the
   Carling manager of the month, and his team have four games in hand.
   They begin their attempt to rein in United in a dress rehearsal for
   the FA Cup Final against Newcastle United at Highbury this afternoon
   and Ferguson said last night that they must now be considered the
   favourites.
   
   "I think that puts Arsenal firmly in the driving seat," Ferguson said.
   "We will have to hope that they drop points now, but we all know what
   football is like and they could lose a game which nobody would expect
   them to lose. We will wait. We have got four games left and we will
   just have to do our best in them. There is still a lot of pressure on
   Arsenal."
   
   In the early stages, there had been some finery among the seething
   tackles and tempers. Infused, perhaps, by the spirit of Pelé, who
   watched the game from the directors' box and will open the Manchester
   United museum today, McManaman, Giggs, Beckham and Scholes produced
   some wonderful touches in the opening minutes and United looked as
   though they had rediscovered their old rhythm.
   
   The game had begun in a flurry of action, as matches between these
   sides always seem to do. Ince, returning to his old stomping ground
   amid a crescendo of jeers, was at the centre of most of the sound and
   fury, but it was United who almost took the lead after 70 seconds.
   
   Giggs charged down a clumsy attempted clearance from Matteo and
   advanced on Friedel, but the United States goalkeeper stood up well
   and blocked his shot before Babb slid across to kick Scholes's
   follow-up shot off the line.
   
   Ince shot high and wide with his left foot a few seconds later and
   Owen had the first of his several clashes with Schmeichel when he just
   failed to beat him to a shot from McManaman that had spilt from the
   goalkeeper's hands. It was breathless stuff and the pace hardly seemed
   to relent throughout the first half.
   
   In recent clashes with United, failure to mark properly at corners had
   cost Liverpool dear and so it proved again yesterday when United took
   the lead in the twelfth minute. Johnsen rose, unattended by either
   Harkness or Matteo, to head Beckham's corner high into the net at the
   back post. Two minutes later, Liverpool nearly equalised when
   McManaman lifted the ball over Schmeichel's dive, but Owen's shot was
   blocked at the last by Gary Neville.
   
   Cole headed just wide from a cross by Giggs in the eighteenth minute,
   but, four minutes later, Schmeichel had to fling himself to his right
   to touch Ince's low, deflected shot just round the post. If anything,
   the tempo of the game was increasing now and the tackles flew in.
   
   Ince and Butt were particularly unforgiving and, amid it all, Owen
   seemed to be losing his cool. He was booked for a wild lunge at
   Schmeichel in the 32nd minute, but, after McManaman had missed a
   gilt-edged chance in the 36th minute, Owen redeemed himself seconds
   later when he stole in between the hesitating Pallister and an
   uncertain Schmeichel to chip the ball delicately over the goalkeeper
   and into the empty net.
   
   Owen was sent off five minutes before half-time, though, and the
   second half was a pallid imitation of the first. Liverpool's ten men
   seemed to relish the challenge and fashioned the best chance after the
   break when a sublime flick from Murphy in the sixtieth minute freed
   Leonhardsen. The Norwegian ran on and his low shot forced a fine
   finger-tip save from Schmeichel.
   
   For the remainder of the match, United poured on the pressure but,
   with Matteo and Ince inspired, they never really looked like breaking
   the deadlock, save when Jones had to clear Cole's late header off the
   line. Now Ferguson and his team will have to sit and watch as Arsenal
   take the stage again.
   
   MANCHESTER UNITED (4:4:2): P Schmeichel - G Neville, R Johnsen (sub: D
   May, 43min), G Pallister, D Irwin - D Beckham, N Butt, P Neville (sub:
   E Sheringham, 66), R Giggs (sub: B Thornley, 39) - A Cole, P Scholes.
   
   LIVERPOOL (4-4-2): B Friedel - R Jones, D Matteo, P Babb, S Harkness -
   S McManaman, P Ince, J Redknapp, O Leonhardsen - D Murphy (sub: P
   Berger, 73), M Owen.
   
   Referee: G Poll.
   
   The race for the Premiership
   
          P  W  D  L  F  A  Pts
Man Utd  34 20  7  7 64 25  67
Arsenal  30 17  9  4 49 26  60

   Remaining fixtures
   
   Manchester United
   
   April 18 v Newcastle (H)
   April 27 v Crystal Palace (A)
   May 4 v Leeds (H)
   May 10 v Barnsley (A)
   
   Arsenal
   
   Today v Newcastle (H)
   April 13 v Blackburn (A)
   April 18 v Wimbledon (H)
   April 25 v Barnsley (A)
   April 29 v Derby (H)
   May 3 v Everton (H)
   May 6 v Liverpool (A)
   May 10 v Aston Villa (A)
   
   Copyright 1998 Times Newspapers Ltd.
   _________________________________________________________________

   Soccer-United held 1-1 at home by Liverpool

   (Recasts with details, quotes)
   By Stephen Wood
   
   MANCHESTER, England, April 10 (Reuters) - Manchester United failed to
   overcome 10-man Liverpool on Friday, drawing 1-1 as the balance of
   power in the premier league tilted once more in the favour of Arsenal.
   
   Michael Owen was sent off for a second bookable offence four minutes
   before half-time, but his 20th goal off the season had already
   cancelled out Ronny Johnsen's 12th-minute strike for United and the
   home side couldn't force a winner.
   
   United now head the table by seven points but Arsenal have four games
   in hand and manager Alex Ferguson said: "We were coasting at 1-0 up
   and we threw it away. It was definitely two points lost and we've done
   Arsenal a favour.
   
   "But we were disappointing all round and it leaves Arsenal firmly in
   the driving seat. The only thing we can hope is for the pressure to
   get to them and maybe it will.
   
   "The turning point was when (Ryan) Giggs was taken off with more
   hamstring trouble.
   
   Giggs was already having problems when Owen equalised for Liverpool
   "We were thinking how to re-organise and they capitalised. But it was
   bad defending," Ferguson said.
   
   Giggs, who has missed several recent games, went off a minute after
   the goal and was replaced by Ben Thornley.
   
   Owen, 18, was booked by referee Graham Poll for a lunge on Peter
   Schmeichel, and then aimed a mistimed two-footed tackle on Johnsen and
   was given his marching orders. Johnsen was taken to hospital for
   x-rays.
   
   "I supposed I deserved to go. But that sort of thing is not in my
   nature," Owen said. "I realise I've let my teammates down and I was so
   glad we held on for a point."
   
   Liverpool manager Roy Evans said: "They were two dubious challenges by
   Michael and he probably deserved to go. There was a bit of banter
   going on out there and the lads feel he was wound up.
   
   "But that's part and parcel of the game. He's a lad who wants to win
   badly and maybe he was over enthusiastic. He's still got a lot to
   learn.
   
   "But I was delighted with the way we battled and we showed tremendous
   spirit to hold them off at the end. We also created a fair few good
   chances."
   
   Liverpool's inability to defend corners has cost them dear in recent
   meetings between the sides and it proved their downfall again after 12
   minutes.
   
   David Beckham swung in a centre from United's right and Johnsen stole
   in between the defenders to head unchallenged past Brad Friedel from
   six yards.
   
   Owen dealt United what could prove to be a serious blow before his
   dismissal. With 36 minutes gone, Danny Murpy beat Johnsen to a
   flick-on and Owen outpaced the hesitant Gary Pallister before clipping
   the ball over Schmeichel from the edge of the area.
   
   United should have taken the lead as early as the first minute.
   Dominic Matteo hesitated, Ryan Giggs blocked the ball away and bore
   down on Friedel, but the American keeper made an excellent save at the
   winger's feet and Paul Scholes's follow-up was cleared off the line by
   Phil Babb.
   
   But, despite making the breakthrough, the home side faded and it was
   Liverpool who created - and wasted - the better chances.
   
   Steve McManaman was the prime suspect, first seeing a point-blank
   effort blocked by Gary Neville with the goal gaping, and then blasting
   over from 12 yards after Liverpool had sprung United's offside trap.
   
   The visitors also had a clear opportunity 14 minutes after the
   interval, but Oyvind Leonhardsen's burst through midfield and low shot
   was matched by Peter Schmeichel's desperate lunge.
   
   In the midst of United's late pressure, Scholes had two chances to win
   the game. With eight minutes remaining, he brought the ball down in
   the area, sidestepped Paul Ince and arrowed a right foot shot inches
   wide of the far post. Then, with two minutes left, he couldn't get in
   a shot from just five yards out.
   
   Ferguson confirmed: "Johnsen has got some ankle ligament damage. He
   was a bit lucky, to be honest, because it was a bad tackle. Owen is a
   terrific player and he doesn't need to do that sort of thing.
   
   "As for Liverpool saying he was wound up by our players, I can't
   believe that. They don't need to offer excuses like that."
   
   Arsenal could cut the lead to one point by the time United embark on
   their four-game run-in. The Gunners face Newcastle on Saturday and
   travel to Blackburn on Easter Monday.
   
   REUTERS
   _________________________________________________________________

                    Man United v Liverpool 10/04/98 5.00
                                      
Man United              (1) 1 Liverpool               (1) 1 FT
Johnsen 12                    Owen 36

   Manchester United's championship challenge suffered a potentially
   devastating blow as 10-man Liverpool survived the first half dismissal
   of Michael Owen and a second half bombardment.
   
   Alex Ferguson's men, dragged back level when Owen capitalised on a
   Gary Pallister blunder to cancel out Ronny Johnsen's opener, looked
   poised for a win to put real pressure on Arsenal when Owen received
   his marching orders in the 40th minute.
   
   The England ace, picked out before the match by no less an expert than
   Pele as Glenn Hoddle's brightest talent, had demonstrated exactly that
   by running the legs off the United rearguard.
   
   Sheer speed had brought the 18-year-old his 20th goal of the season
   eight minutes before the interval, streaking between Pallister and
   Peter Schmeichel to score.
   
   But Owen had already been rightly cautioned by referee Graham Poll
   after recklessly lunging in on Schmeichel just before his goal.
   
   And three minutes later, Owen dived in late again, catching Johnsen
   with his studs straight onto the Norwegian's ankle, leaving the
   official with little alternative but to dismiss him.
   
   It was Owen's second red card of the season - his first was on England
   under-18 duty against Yugoslavia - but where Liverpool might have
   folded, they refused to buckle.
   
   Paul Ince's unwillingness to contemplate defeat on his Old Trafford
   return summed up the defiance of Roy Evans' side.
   
   While United had all the possession in the world, they did not make
   real use of it, the only real scares coming in the final two minutes.
   
   First Rob Jones denied Andy Cole with a goalline clearance after Brad
   Friedel made his one error of the game and then Paul Scholes dragged
   wide from 12 yards.
   
   But Liverpool hung on for a draw that will be as well received in
   North London as Merseyside.
   
   Although United increased their lead, Arsenal will reduce it to four -
   with three games in hand - if they beat Newcastle at Highbury
   tomorrow, and more importantly United's inability to beat 10 men may
   give the Gunners a priceless psychological edge as well.
   
   And to make things worse, Ferguson saw Ryan Giggs hobble away with
   what might be a recurrence of his hamstring problem and will mean an
   anxious wait for bulletins from the physio room.
   
   The end was an frantic as the beginning from was never going to be
   anything other than a torrid afternoon.
   
   Ince had stoked up the passions - if they needed to be - with his
   ``piece of meat'' jibes this morning, but the England midfielder,
   unsurprisingly jeered throughout by the home fans, might have feared
   his men would be sliced up inside 80 seconds.
   
   Danny Murphy played Dominic Matteo into trouble, and Giggs skipped
   away, bearing down on goal only for Friedel to save.
   
   The ball fell for Scholes, 15 yards out with the goal gaping, but Phil
   Babb somehow got back to clear.
   
   Then it was Liverpool's turn, Steve McManaman firing in an effort
   Schmeichel could not hold, with Owen showing the over-enthusiasm which
   was to prove so costly later on as he slid in and caught the keeper.
   
   Still, United, with Nicky Butt's return beefing up their middle, were
   the sharper, Liverpool loose and sloppy, and paying the price in the
   12th minute.
   
   Failure to mark properly at United corners has been fatal for
   Liverpool in recent seasons, yet they have not learned, and so it
   proved again.
   
   Beckham, given a second invitation after his first delivery had caused
   all sorts of problems, floated in from the United left and Johnsen,
   left utterly unmarked six yards out, thumped his header past a
   stranded Friedel.
   
   It should have been the signal for Ferguson's side to turn it on.
   Instead, with Murphy - standing-in for Karlheinz Riedle as Owen's
   strike partner - showing his promise, Liverpool took up the gauntlet.
   
   Owen's sheer pace was the key, the youngster showing just what Pele
   sees in him by embarrassing Pallister and Denis Irwin after Murphy had
   threaded through, then squaring to McManaman eight yards out, only a
   poor touch and subsequent delay allowing Gary Neville to block.
   
   Giggs was clearly not happy, and while Gary Neville's snapshot after a
   Beckham free-kick had hit the Liverpool wall was close, the visitors
   were beginning to show confidence on the ball.
   
   One Ince shot from 20 yards brought a fine diving stop from Schmeichel
   before Owen, chasing down a short back-pass from Neville after
   Murphy's ball, carried on into the Dane.
   
   No complaints as Mr Poll - who had already booked Butt - showed
   yellow, although how Pallister escaped after bringing down McManaman
   was less obvious.
   
   McManaman then somehow managed to miss his second sitter of the half,
   ghosting in beyond the United back line from Murphy's clever ball but
   showing once again, for all his claims to the contrary, that he is not
   a natural scorer as he blasted over.
   
   Within a minute, all was forgiven as Owen demonstrated his speed off
   the mark.
   
   When Murphy prodded through, Pallister was the favourite, with
   Schmeichel the obvious option. But the defender stopped, the Dane was
   suddenly exposed, and Owen nipped between the pair to score.
   
   With Giggs forced off - Ben Thornley coming on - the odds seemed to be
   tilting towards Liverpool, yet joy turned to despair so quickly for
   the teenager, clearly catching Johnsen after an exchange with
   Schmeichel and instantly knowing his afternoon was over early.
   
   Murphy now became the lone striker, Liverpool having to defend in
   numbers as United - with David May on for Johnsen - poured forward
   either side of the break.
   
   Scholes, after a superb one-touch move around the Liverpool box,
   flashed one volley wide before the interval, while Cole went for glory
   when a simple pass to Scholes might have brought better reward.
   
   Even though they were defending, Liverpool, with pace still in
   McManaman and constant work by Murphy, were a threat, Schmeichel
   thrusting out a big right hand after Murphy's flick had released
   Oyvind Leonhardsen.
   
   Now though, they were being pushed further and further back, Butt and
   then Gary Neville drilling wide before his brother Phil was replaced
   by Teddy Sheringham, Ferguson aware how important three points were.
   
   Back, but not giving much away, United not taking advantage of the
   extra man or the tiring Liverpool limbs, Murphy making way for Patrik
   Berger with 15 to go, Friedel rarely tested.
   
   The American did make one brave punch off Sheringham's head, but too
   often for Ferguson he did not have saves to make as shots flew
   everywhere but the target.
   
   Right at the death Cole finally hit the target after Friedel missed
   Beckham's cross and then Scholes, who had shot wide after a lucky
   ricochet, dragged off target again in the dying seconds. Two points
   dropped, no question.
   
   Man United: Schmeichel, G. Neville, Irwin, Johnsen (May, 43),
   Pallister, Beckham, Butt, Cole, Giggs (Thornley, 38), P. Neville
   (Sheringham, 65), Scholes.
   Subs not used: Van Der Gouw, Berg.
   Booked: Butt.
   
   Liverpool: Friedel, Jones, Matteo, Babb, Harkness, McManaman,
   Redknapp, Ince, Leonhardsen, Owen, Murphy (Berger, 75).
   Subs not used: James, Kvarme, Thomas, Carragher.
   Booked: Owen, Leonhardsen.
   Sentoff: Owen 40.
   
   Attendance: 55,171.
   Referee: G Poll (Tring).
   _____________________________________________________________________

   MANCHESTER UTD v LIVERPOOL - RATINGS

   MANCHESTER UNITED
   
   Peter Schmeichel (7): Made a great save from Paul Ince in the first
   half and did not have much to do in the second.
   
   Gary Neville (7): Made a miraculous block to keep out Steve
   McManaman's shot.
   
   Denis Irwin (7): Steady and reliable as ever.
   
   Ronny Johnsen (7): Gave United the lead before he was forced off
   following Michael Owen's challenge.
   
   Gary Pallister (6): At fault for Liverpool's goal when his hesitation
   let in Michael Owen.
   
   David Beckham (6): The quality of his corners dipped in the second
   half when United needed them most.
   
   Nicky Butt (6): Did well in the first half - but faded in the second.
   
   Andy Cole (7): Troubled Liverpool once or twice with his pace.
   
   Ryan Giggs (6): Little chance to shine after picking up his injury
   early on.
   
   Philip Neville (6): Did a competent job in midfield before he was
   replaced by Sheringham.
   
   Paul Scholes (5): Wasted a couple of great chances to score for
   United.
   
   Substitutes:
   
   Ben Thornley (5): Lacked the pace and confidence to trouble the
   Liverpool defence.
   
   David May (6): Had little to do after he came on for the injured
   Johnsen.
   
   Teddy Sheringham (6): Made little impression on the Liverpool defence
   when he came on.
   
   LIVERPOOL
   
   Brad Friedel (7): Great early block on Ryan Giggs' shot and looked
   quite solid.
   
   Rob Jones (7): Vital goalline clearance in the dying minutes.
   
   Dominic Matteo (8): Was the pillar of Liverpool's defence in the
   second half.
   
   Phil Babb (7): He also rose to the challenge of keeping United at bay
   in the second half.
   
   Steve Harkness (7): Played his part in a terrific rearguard action by
   Liverpool.
   
   Steve McManaman (6): Missed a glorious chance to score for Liverpool.
   
   Jamie Redknapp (7): Ran his socks off in midfield.
   
   Paul Ince (6): Had a quiet return to Old Trafford and helped protect
   his defence in the second half.
   
   Oyvind Leonhardsen (6): Relatively quiet game, although he did have
   one chance which was saved.
   
   Michael Owen (7): Jekyll and Hyde performance from him as he scored a
   great goal before being stupidly sent off.
   
   Danny Murphy (7): Great performance from the midfielder before he came
   off.
   
   Substitutes
   
   Patrik Berger (5): Came on to give Liverpool a fresh pair of legs -
   but made little impact.
   
   Referee:
   
   Graham Poll (7) - Perhaps let too many bad tackles go early on, but
   was right to send Owen off.
   
   © PA Sporting Life


[main] [top scorers] [league results/table] [match reports] [archive]
[gallery] [united faq] [links] [sign my guestbook]

Any comments are welcomed.

© Copyright Telegraph Group Limited 1998.

Telegraph Group Limited endeavours to ensure that the information is correct but does not accept any liability for error or omission.

Users are permitted to copy some material for their personal use, but may not republish any substantial part of the data either on another website or as part of any commercial service without the prior written permission of Telegraph Group Limited.

Note : At times, reports are taken from Reuters and FA Carling Net.

Today's edition of Electronic Telegraph...