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Cole on fire as United warm to their task
By Henry Winter in Rotterdam | |
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Feyenoord (0) 1 Man Utd (2) 3 IN A stadium seething with anger, Manchester United kept their nerve and their 100 per cent record in Group B of the Champions' League with a fine team performance spiced with a hat-trick by Andy Cole which took his tally to eight goals in three games. This was a night when United showed their character, their accuracy in front of goal and their composure in the teeth of some ugly moments. Dutch excess was not confined to their fans, who had ambushed their United counterparts earlier. The visitors' full-backs were both targeted by Feyenoord. Gary Neville received Julio Cruz's forearm in his face while Denis Irwin was stamped on by Paul Bosvelt, a heinous act that prompted Alex Ferguson to complain to Feyenoord coach Geert Meijer. Despite such provocation, Ferguson's players retained their composure and the quarter-finals beckon with two group games remaining. Ferguson's side now face what should be a home banker, modest Kosice at Old Trafford, in three weeks' time before the Dec 10 trip to Juventus, a journey that looks far less daunting than it did two months ago. An air of unease had palsied the initial stages, the players seemingly distracted by the tension on the terraces. The sight of riot police insinuating themselves between rival fans was a sad one but inevitable given events earlier. The ambushing of United supporters' coaches, reportedly as revenge for the trashing of two downtown cafes, lent an extra dark touch to the night sky over De Kuip. Only after 20 minutes did the game begin to breathe. Giovanni van Bronckhorst, Feyenoord's excellent midfielder, seemed the one Dutch player capable of punishing United with an accurate pass or shot. Van Bronckhorst announced his presence with a low drive, safely smothered by Peter Schmeichel, before attempting to bisect United's defence. Henning Berg, anticipating well, cleared the danger. United were resisting the intermittent pressure with their usual resilience. Feyenoord's limited sting drawn, the confident champions of England went seeking glory. How marvellous it was to behold these young Englishmen playing with maturity and athleticism, expressing their undoubted technical expertise on Europe's most demanding stage. Composed and clear-eyed, they waited for their chances and then took them. Fittingly, Cole gave the first warning, wriggling away in pursuit of David Beckham's chip and firing low at Jurek Dudek. Then came Teddy Sheringham, exploiting Kees van Wonderen's hashed clearance, and delivering a meaty volley which Dudek did brilliantly to claw away. United were in the mood, gliding forward as if they knew every touch could hurt the Dutch. Just after the half hour they had their reward. Beckham's pressure forced Patricio Graff into conceding possession, the Feyenoord wing-back falling awkwardly, so adding injury to insult. Gary Neville, alive to the situation, reacted well, lifting the ball powerfully over Feyenoord's back-pedalling defence. Cole, a striker who can suddenly do no wrong, charged on, keeping pace with Bernard Chuiteman. The Feyenoord man desperately attempted to clear but could only strike the ball at Cole, who lifted the ball in over Dudek. United's euphoria was immense, the pleasure increased because of Cole's dressing-room popularity. Graff, meanwhile, was being helped away. The heat did not abate, though, and Igor Korneev and Paul Scholes were cautioned for a minor disagreement, Korneev appearing the worst offender by administering a painful to Scholes. Feyenoord were also hit where it hurts, Cole inflicting further damage just before half-time. If the first goal contained an element of fortune, this strike was exceptional in creation and execution. Good interplay down the inside-right channel between Beckham and Sheringham culminated in Beckham racing free, his every stride shimmering with danger. His centre was low and square and true, arriving sweetly for Cole to score with a 10-yard shot placed perfectly to Dudek's left. A brief scare early after the turnaround, when van Bronckhorst's rising drive pounded into Schmeichel's bar, reminded United of the dangers lurking at this level. But, in truth, Feyenoord were unthreatening, apart from in the occasional illegal arts, as brutally witnessed when Julio Cruz's left forearm crashed into Gary Neville's face. Sandor Puhl missed the offence but television's all-seeing eye did not. United kept their composure and continued to look for counter-attacking possibilities. Giggs fired over. Cole span his defender arrogantly but lifted his cross too close to Dudek. Then Sheringham tried to lob the goalkeeper but got it wrong. No matter. After 74 minutes, as United's fans were chanting "One team in Holland - Ajax", Cole completed his hat-trick, following a move of gathering grandeur. Pallister, increasingly impressive when venturing forward, combined exquisitely with Giggs, who raced into the area, slipped Dudek and squared the ball for Cole. His finish was simple, the celebration ecstatic as he became the first United player to score three goals in a Champions' Cup game since Denis Law against Waterford in 1968. The Dutch began to file out, their season destroyed, by a team marching irresistibly across Europe, though there was one final flourish, a fine 20-yard goal from Korneev. __________________________________________________________ Group B Feyenoord (0) 1 Man Utd (2) 3 Korneev 87; Cole 31, 44, 73. Feyenoord: Dudek, Van Gobbel, Boateng, Schuiteman, Van Wonderen, Graff (Claeys 34), Bosvelt (Zwijnenberg 81), Van Gastel, Van Bronckhorst, Korneev, Cruz (Vos 76). Subs Not Used: Petry, Picun, Sanchez, Glaucio. Booked: Claeys, Cruz. Man Utd: Schmeichel, Irwin (P. Neville 81), G. Neville, Berg, Pallister, Butt, Scholes (Poborsky 76), Beckham, Giggs, Cole (Solskjaer 73), Sheringham. Subs Not Used: Van Der Gouw, McClair, Thornley, Curtis. Booked: Scholes. Ref: Sandor Puhl (Hungary). Juventus (1) 3 FC Kosice (0) 2 Del Piero 44 Lubarskij 66 Amoruso 56 Kozak 71 Fonseca 60 P W D L F A Pts Manchester Utd 4 4 0 0 11 4 12 Juventus 4 3 0 1 11 6 9 Feyenoord 4 1 0 3 5 10 3 FC Kosice 4 0 0 4 2 9 0 FIXTURES.- Nov 26: Feyenoord v Juventus. Nov 27: Manchester Utd v FC Kosice. Dec 10: FC Kosice v Feyenoord, Juventus v Manchester Utd. __________________________________________________________ Cole on fire Thursday, November 6, 1997 Andy Cole, the 7million striker who has fired more blanks than bullets since his move from Newcastle, last night proved that the tide has turned when he collected his second hat-trick in three games for Manchester United. His goals in a trouble-hit De Kuip Stadium, continued United's 100 percent record in Group B of the Champions League and leaves them on the brink of a place in the last eight. For months after his record move in January 1995 Cole appeared incapable of hitting a barn door from 10 paces. Now, however, everything he touches, with foot or even knee, is ending up in the net, the confidence flowing through him and carrying United along in his slipstream. But neither United manager Alex Ferguson, UEFA, nor the Dutch police will be anything other than disturbed by the peripheral events which surrounded this masterful footballing performance. Too often the Dutch players used intimidatory tactics to try to gain some revenge for perceived wrongs from the first leg. On a night when we witnessed further evidence that the plague of the organised hooligan is re-emerging, we also saw Feyenoord players trying to injure opponents on and off the ball. Not one Unite player retaliated and they deserve praise for their self-restraint. Feyenoord became, in the end, as unreliable as the city police and the stadium segregation fences which repeatedly allowed hooligans to break through and battle with each other. Cole was marvellous throughout. Before he was offered the three chances to score, he had already linked well with his back to goal and used the flatness of Feyenoord's one-paced defence to his advantage. His emergence is down to Ferguson, who shrewdly kept faith when Cole's doubters heavily-outnumbered his supporters. Cole, whose hat-trick was the first by a United player in a Champions Cup match since Denis Law in 1968, is simply oozing confidence - but that is not to overlook the quality - and quantity - of chances being offered. Last night it was Gary Neville's long ball, David Beckham's perfect square cross and Ryan Giggs's open-goal lay-up which gave him his hat-trick. Even Gary Pallister got in on the act last night by showing deft footwork which belies his massive frame, to cut through midfield on two occasions - the first to set up Giggs for a chance scorned and the second to help create Cole's hat-trick. Henning Berg fitted in as if he had never been away and the message, with Ronny Johnsen, Ole Solskjaer, Phil Neville, Karel Poborsky and Jordi Cruyff available in reserve and Roy Keane out, is that United have strength in depth. But Ferguson does not want to test that through unneeded suspensions - and that made the restraint showed by his players almost as praiseworthy as their clinical win. Although it was the attacks on Gary Neville and Denis Irwin by Julio Cruz and Paul Bosvelt which were most serious, there was one spell in the second half when Beckham, Paul Scholes and Teddy Sheringham were all victims of vicious tackles in the space of 30 seconds. Two moments of creativity from Feyenoord could, however, have offered United a much sterner test than they eventually experienced. After 20 minutes Igor Korneev stroked a lovely ball to Giovanni Van Bronckhorst but he chose to shoot when Cruz was better placed. Then, two minutes later, Gary Neville got himself in a spot of bother and conceded possession to wing back Patricio Graff who quickly played an exquisite one-two with Korneev before holding off Neville splitting the defence with a pass which eventually found no takers. United began to turn the tables when Kees Van Wonderen fluffed a clearance and Sheringham volleyed for the top corner only to see Polish goalkeeper Jurek Dudek produce a world-class save. Drama on the pitch only equalled that of outside the ground when Neville pounced on a loose ball and launched it forward. Cole and Bernard Schuiteman were neck and neck like greyhounds, the Dutchman got a touch but as it left his boot, Cole caught it with his thigh and the ball looped over the goalkeeper for the striker's ninth goal in 10 games. Then, just before half time, Beckham slid the ball to Sheringham. He had his back to goal but swivelled for a brilliant reverse pass which Beckham played straight to Cole and, a split second later, the ball was in the net. If Ryan Giggs, the star of that pulsating win over Juventus, had showed the same cutting edge as Cole, United would have been 3-0 ahead 10 minutes after the break. Pallister surged forward out of a tackle and clipped a pass which sent Giggs through on goal but his chip was too high. However, Pallister continued the role he clearly yearns for by playing a wonderful one-two with Giggs deep in the Dutch half. The winger rounded goalkeeper Jurek Dudek and squared to Cole who gleefully and easily completed his hat-trick. Korneev's 87th minute goal was little consolation for Feyenoord. __________________________________________________________ Cole-fired United strike rich seam FROM OLIVER HOLT, FOOTBALL CORRESPONDENT IN ROTTERDAM Feyenoord ...1 Manchester United ...3 WITH a performance as bright and as piercing as the laser beams that lit up the sky above the De Kuip Stadium, Andy Cole finally proved that he can excel at the highest level when he scored a hat-trick against Feyenoord here last night that all but guaranteed Manchester United a place in the quarter-finals of the European Cup. Cole, whose previous failings had led to suggestions that his presence is a hindrance to United's European ambitions, scored twice in the first half and once more later in the game to become the first player at the club since Denis Law in 1968 to score a hat-trick in this competition. The result provided yet more evidence that United, who coped efficiently with what little their Dutch hosts had to offer and consolidated their position above Juventus at the top of group B, are close to completing their education in the Champions' League. It was their second win over Feyenoord in two weeks a happy piece of double Dutch. Cole took his tally to eight goals in the past three games but, more important, the result means that United now have only to complete the relative formality of victory over FC Kosice at Old Trafford in a fortnight to be sure of a place in the last eight of the competition, either as group winners or one of the two best runners-up. Having won four out of four so far, they are the only one of the 24 teams in the competition with a 100 per cent record. Some of the gloss from their win was taken away by a goal five minutes from the end by Igor Korneev, and by strong-arm tactics from the Dutch that left Gary Neville flattened by a flying elbow and Dennis Irwin taken from the field on a stretcher in agony with what Alex Ferguson said may be a serious knee injury. There were also allegations from the United camp that the Dutch players had spat at their rivals and that missiles were thrown at Peter Schmeichel. "I have never lost my temper like that before," Neville, who was incensed by Cruz's challenge, said. Ferguson gave Cole due praise, but reserved most of his comments for the antics of Feyenoord, intimating that he did not want his players to swap shirts with their opponents after the game. "It is fortunate that no one else was injured," the United manager said. "Two of their players should have been sent off, but the referee was in a lenient mood. He has got a lot of experience and that is why the game did not get out of control. We had to show great discipline." The preamble to the match was also marred by violent clashes between rival fans. Some occurred as Feyenoord supporters ambushed the visiting supporters outside the ground, in apparent retaliation for United followers wrecking two cafés in the city centre. A coach carrying United supporters was also stoned and two Dutch policemen were hurt. Seventeen Dutch supporters and one from England were arrested, according to early reports. When the match started, the home supporters forgot their aggression momentarily as Feyenoord dominated the early stages. United spent much of the first 25 minutes penned in their own half as the Dutch strove to put behind them the domestic woes that saw them part company with their coach, Arie Haan, last week. Cruz, Feyenoord's Argentine striker, wriggled away from Berg in the first minute, but hit his shot over the crossbar. Ten minutes later, Bosvelt tricked his way past two United tackles and laid the ball out to Van Gobbel. He curled in an inviting cross, but Schmeichel gathered it before the Feyenoord strikers could capitalise. The Dutch wasted their best chance midway through the half, when Graff pounced on a poor ball from Neville, played a one-two and bore down on Schmeichel, but the Danish goalkeeper kept on his feet, Graff squeezed the ball wide of him and across goal, and the danger was cleared. That was the end of Feyenoord's dominance. A header by Beckham in the 28th minute freed Sheringham and his dipping volley forced an acrobatic save out of Dudek. It was only a temporary reprieve. Two minutes later, United took the lead. After Graff had fallen awkwardly, Neville struck a searching long ball forward for Cole to run onto. He outstripped Schuiteman, and as the defender stretched to reach it, the ball looped over Dudek, who could only help it into the net. It was not clear whether Cole or Schuiteman had got the final touch, but the striker was quick to claim the credit. Three minutes before half-time, United went further ahead. Beckham played a neat one-two with Sheringham that sliced the Feyenoord defence apart, and Beckham crossed for Cole who television replays showed to be clearly onside to sidefoot past Dudek. A minute after the interval, though, United were reminded that any complacency would be punished. Feyenoord were awarded a free kick on the edge of the area and Van Gastel crashed a 25-yard, left-foot shot beyond the dive of Schmeichel but against the underside of the United crossbar. United should have put the game out of the reach nine minutes later, when Pallister played a fine through-ball to Giggs. He galloped clear of the Dutch defence on its exposed right flank, but after a couple of feints to try to trick Dudek, he chipped his shot over the goalkeeper but a foot over the crossbar, too. Seventeen minutes from the end, though, Pallister made a rare foray forward and played a fine ball through to Giggs with the outside of his right foot. His pace got him to the ball before the dive of Dudek and he squared the ball across the area to where Cole was waiting to sidefoot the ball into an empty net. Cole strode over to the United fans and milked their thunderous applause. FEYENOORD (4-4-2): J Dudek U van Gobbel, B Schuiteman, J P van Gastel, K van Wonderen P Bosvelt, G van Bronckhorst, G Boateng, P Graff (sub: G Claeys, 34min) J Cruz (sub: H Vos, 75), I Korneev. MANCHESTER UNITED (4-4-2): P Schmeichel G Neville, G Pallister, H Berg, D Irwin (sub: P Neville, 80) D Beckham, N Butt, P Scholes (sub: K Poborsky, 75), R Giggs A Cole (sub: O G Solskjaer, 75), E Sheringham. Referee: S Puhl (Hungary). Copyright 1997 The Times Newspapers Limited. __________________________________________________________ Feyenoord v Manchester Utd By Martin Lipton PA Sport, Rotterdam Andy Cole's glorious goal glut continued as United moved a step closer to the last eight of the Champions' League in trouble hit Rotterdam tonight. The England striker has been the butt of much humour since his £7million move from Newcastle. But now the goals are coming in droves and Cole claimed two tonight to make it seven in his last three games. The first, after 31 minutes, was somewhat fortunate as he chased Gary Neville's long ball. As Bernard Schuiteman tried to clear the ball rebounded off off Cole's knee to loop over keeper Jurk Dudek. The second, however ,was sheer quality with Cole on the end of a wonderful move started by Teddy Sheringham and carried on by David Beckham leaving the striker the easiest of side-foot finishes. Alex Ferguson for once opted for the expected when he sent his team back into European combat in Rotterdam tonight. The pre-match feeling had been that Denis Irwin and Ryan Giggs would return after missing Saturday's 6-1 trouncing of Sheffield Wednesday, with Phil Neville and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer standing down and that was exactly what happened when the United boss named his team tonight. It meant there was just one change in the United side from the team which beat Feyenoord at Old Trafford a fortnight ago, Norwegian Henning Berg coming in for the younger Neville. By contrast Feyenoord, who have lost coach Arie Haan in the past two weeks, made three changes from the team on duty in the first meeting. Argentinian striker Julio Cruz, suspended two weeks ago, came in for injured Irish international David Connolly up front with Russian Igor Korneev replacing another Argentine, Pablo Sanchez. Uruguayan defender Fernando Picun also stepped down to the bench, replaced by George Boateng. But surprisingly new coach Geert Meijer opted to keep Old Trafford scorer Henk Vos among the substitutes. After three successive wins United stood proudly at the top of Champions' League Group B although Ferguson took pains to warn his players to expect a more difficult encounter than in the first game when they could easily have won by far more than they did. The one thing that England as a whole did not want after the scenes in Rome last month was more violence but the worst fears of the Football Association appeared to be borne out with incidents both inside and outside the ground before kick-off. Coaches of United fans were stoned by home supporters and just before kick-off a serious disturbance broke out in one corner of the ground. Only the flimsiest of canvas partitions separated the United supporters from the home fans and when the gateway in that fence was opened the supporters surged through it to clash. It appeared that the home fans were the aggressors but it took a full five minutes for riot police to respond and restore order. Fortunately the teams then emerged to attract attention elsewhere although the opening stages were less than eventful. Beckham, Sheringham and Cole did threaten when they combined in the third minute although Cole was crowded out as he shaped to shoot. At the other end the Dutch side were making few early inroads as Gary Pallister - along with Irwin a survivor of United's Cup Winners' Cup final triumph over Barcelona here in 1991, - was his normal reassuring self. In the 11th minute former Southampton defender Ulrich Van Gobbel advanced into space down the United left but his low cross was easily gathered by skipper Peter Schmeichel. Ferguson had suggested yesterday that his team had realised the need for patience in European matches and certainly their approach to the game was one of containment-first. United were happy to let Feyenoord play in front of them, breaking up their opponents when they got too close to Schmeichel's goal. The plan was clearly to attempt to hit the Dutch side on the counter and a hint of what United could do came in the 13th minute. Berg won the ball well 15 yards in the United half and spotted Cole spinning out to the left. The ball landed at the striker's feet but with Feyenoord stretched Giggs ran into Van Gobbel and the opening went begging. In fact, there was not a shot on goal until the 20th minute, when Schmeichel easily fielded a left-footer from Giovanni Van Bronckhorst. A minute later United threatened when Graff's clearance went straight to David Beckham, who found Cole through the middle. It was not easy to bring the ball down but Cole did manage that before shooting right footed from 20 yards although Dudek in the Feyenoord goal was not really troubled. Now the game was beginning to open out and the presence of yet more riot police between the rival fans appeared to be helping to ease the threat of more problems. But problems on the pitch for United came when Gary Neville gave the ball away to Graff in the 23rd minute. The Argentinian burst forward, working a one-two with his compatriot Cruz and outpacing Neville only for his cross to travel beyond Schmeichel and the far post. That might have been close but United themselves were even closer five minutes later. Beckham headed down and Kees van Wonderen made a fearful howler, missing the ball completely. Sheringham was onto it like a shot, thumping an effort with the outside of his right foot which was destined to finish in the top corner only for Dudek to make a thrilling flying save. But three minutes later Ferguson's side did take the lead as Cole's goal glut continued. Neville hoisted the ball long from around halfway and defender Bernard Schuiteman looked the favourite. Schuiteman attempted to hook clear but the ball struck Cole's knee and looped over the advancing Dudek. The Feyenoord keeper threw up an arm and made contact but not enough to prevent the ball spinning into his net, giving Cole his sixth goal in his last three games to give United a priceless advantage. United were delighted but Feyenoord furious, adamant that Beckham - accused of foul play in the first game - had been guilty of an assault on Graff which meant the Argentine had to be stretchered off and could take no further part in the game. It threatened to get nasty, a couple of ugly clashes in midfield showing that the Dutch side were prepared to battle and bruise although Scholes and Nicky Butt were clearly up for the fight. Graff was replaced by Belgian Jeff Claeys and two minutes later United went to sleep at the back, Cruz given too much space but unable to beat Schmeichel with his strike. Beckham wasted one glorious crossing opportunity after Cole had split the final defence. But two minutes before the break United were not so generous and claimed a glorious, incisive and potentially killer goal. Sheringham's angled ball found Beckham beyond the last defender and when he squared Cole, barely six yards out, coolly sidefooted into the net with Dudek helpless. It could hardly be better for United and there was a jauntiness about their stride as they went to the dressing room at half time. Van Bronckhorst came within inches of pulling Feyenoord into the game when he rattled the crossbar with a 25-yard free-kick a minute after the interval. Feyenoord substitute Claeys became the third player to be booked when he entered referee Sandor Puhl's notebook in the 48th minute. The match threatened to boil over and several crunching tackles rained in which resulted in a United free-kick in the centre circle. Giggs should have extended United's lead when after 54 minutes he was played through on the left by Pallister, but the Welshman lifted the ball over the on-rushing Dudek and over the bar. Cole completed his hat-trick after Giggs rounded Dudek and squared the ball for the unmarked striker to tap the ball home in the 73rd minute. Korneev scored a consolation goal for Feyenoord three minutes from time when he turned on the edge of the area and beat Schmeichel with a low shot into the bottom corner of the net. __________________________________________________________ FERGIE: FEYENOORD COACH 'INSANE' By Martin Lipton, PA Sport Chief Soccer Writer, Rotterdam Furious Alex Ferguson branded opposite number Geert Meijer "insane" as a United glory night in Rotterdam was overshadowed by thuggish Feyenoord and a major injury for Denis Irwin. Andy Cole's superb hat trick ensured United maintained their 100 per cent start to their Group B campaign as they completed an assured and top quality 3-1 win over the Dutch side at a trouble-hit De Kuip Stadium. But Ferguson's pleasure at his team's display was overshadowed by the anger at the physical punishment his men had been forced to endure. High late and appalling tackles proliferated the match with the worst incidents being an elbow to the face suffered by Gary Neville from Argentinian striker Julio Cruz and an assault on Irwin's knee by Paul Bosvelt. Ferguson fumed: "It could be a bad injury for Denis and we'll have to take him to hospital to see the specialist. "But I'm just happy we didn't get any more people seriously injured because it could easily have happened that way. "The referee is experienced and he never let the game get out of control but they should have had a couple of red cards at least." Bosvelt, amazingly, was not even cautioned by Hungarian Sandor Puhl and Ferguson was involved in a fierce touchline blast at his opposite number. "That was a bad tackle to make and I couldn't believe their player didn't get booked," said Ferguson, who branded Bosvelt's tackle "a disgrace" during an angry words with Meijer on the touchline. "I spoke to Meijer and he referred to the first game at Old Trafford and the tackle that David Beckham made that meant Giovanni Van Bronckhorst was taken off. "But that is insane thinking, a very silly thing to say. If you are a coach you have to have some principles." Meijer responded to Ferguson's charge by admitting that he had taken off Cruz and Bosvelt to prevent them seeing red although he added: "It's the referee's job to decide if players should be sent off. "Ferguson was upset but there were two or three incidents in the last game at Old Trafford when their players should have had cards. "If you're looking to compare what happens on the pitch you can do that and you can always see it from both sides but I don't want to respond to anything else he has said." Ferguson, however, was delighted by the discipline his side had shown in the face of the appalling provocation which was also matched off the field with Dutch riot police seemingly failing in their duties to keep feuding fans apart. Despite all the aggravation only Paul Scholes was booked for United and Ferguson admitted: "I think our discipline was great in the light of what went on. "It was a great result for us and I'm very pleased with the result and the performance especially in the second half when we controlled ourselves so well. "We are in a great position now and that is just what we wanted from the game." Sadly Cole's performance will not get the credit it deserved but Ferguson was keen to allow the striker some glory. Cole's first was somewhat fortuitous, his right knee diverting an attempted clearance from Bernard Schuiteman over keeper Jurek Dudek and into the net. There was nothing lucky about the other two, simple side foot finishes at the end of rapier-like United moves and Ferguson added: "Andy was always a real threat to them. "Every time we played a through pass up to his he was like a greyhound coming out of the traps." The hat trick, Cole's second in Europe after a trio for Newcastle against Antwerp three years ago, made it eight in his last three games and Ferguson continued: "I think strikers always respond to confidence. "When they're scoring they think they're always going to score and if they're not they wonder where the next goal is coming from. "But Andy is playing so well now and he's really on fire for us." __________________________________________________________ MANCHESTER UTD PLAYER RATINGS Peter Schmeichel: Did not have the busiest night and could do little about Korneev's goal (7). Gary Neville: Took an elbow from Cruz but refused to be rattled and was as solid as ever (7). Denis Irwin: Did everything asked of him before being stretchered off after he was clobbered by Bosvelt (7). Gary Pallister: Tower of strength at the heart of the United defence but also showed his finer touches when he played the ball neatly out of defence (7). Henning Berg: Another impressive display from the Norwegian alongside Pallister (7). David Beckham: Played the ball through for Cole's first goal and also tracked back to help out his defence (8). Nicky Butt: Typically tigerish in midfield and never let Feyenoord get going (7). Paul Scholes: Got booked but kept his head afterwards and was as solid as ever (7). Ryan Giggs: Missed one chance but otherwise it was another super show from the Welshman (8). Teddy Sheringham: Linked well with Beckham for Cole's second goal but otherwise was not that busy (7). Andy Cole: Continued his rich vein of goalscoring form to prove he is back to his prolific best (9). Substitutes Ole Gunnar Solskjaer (Cole, 76): Did not really get into the match after coming on (6). Karel Poborsky (Scholes, 76): Did not make much impression when he came on (6). Phil Neville (Irwin, 81): Slotted in at full back but had little time to shine (6). © PA Sporting Life |
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