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Second-half spree ensures United stay one step ahead
By Henry Winter | |
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Blackburn (1) 1 Man Utd (0) 3 MANCHESTER United moved six points clear of Arsenal, who have three games in hand, in a real game of two halves at Ewood Park last night. Trailing to Chris Sutton's strike, United rejigged at half-time and hit back with goals from Andy Cole, Paul Scholes and David Beckham. United welcomed back Peter Schmeichel, Giggs and Gary Pallister from injury, though Alex Ferguson resisted the temptation to restore Teddy Sheringham, available after suspension. How United, starting like a car with grit in the gears, could have done with Sheringham's ability to link play in an impoverished first-half performance, to hold and turn in the no-man's land between midfield and attack. Instead, the opening period belonged to a clever forward who had famously filled these support duties during Blackburn Rovers' championship season of 1994-95, the only time in the last five years the title trophy has not been at Old Trafford. While United's strike force of Cole and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer was largely detached from the midfield, Sutton was operating in tandem with his deeper colleagues, often lifting passes forward for Kevin Gallacher to chase. Sutton's influence pervaded a half in which his 31st-minute goal separated the teams. Scarcely two minutes into the game, he initiated a move which saw the ball fly between Gallacher and Garry Flitcroft before Gary Neville made an emergency clearance. Sutton again played the conduit after 23 minutes, transferring Flitcroft's pass to Jeff Kenna, whose low shot was eventually tamed by Schmeichel and served to bring a slow-burning half to life. An indication of the variety of Sutton's movement materialised just before the half-hour when Pallister tugged him back on the halfway line. Sutton, ghosting in and out, was everywhere. He even created Rovers' penalty, sending Damien Duff running into the area where he was clearly hauled back by Gary Neville. The offence began outside the box, but with Neville continuing to cling to Duff's shirt there was little disputing the outcome when Duff finally went down. Gerald Ashby, hitherto booed by Ewood for his controversial dismissal of Henning Berg three years ago, earned a rare and prolonged cheer when he pointed immediately to the spot. Sutton's conversion, low and hard, raced past Schmeichel. Only the most rabid Red could have argued with Rovers' reward. United were looking ragged, unable to retain possession such was the midfield industry of Flitcroft, Duff, Billy McKinlay and Tim Sherwood. United had to change. Ferguson withdrew Solskjaer at half-time, unleashing Nicky Butt into midfield and pushing Scholes forward into the Sheringham role. Suddenly, and thrillingly for their legion of supporters scattered around Ewood, the champions were a revitalised force, reclaiming central midfield and the game. Rovers were pushed into reverse. The pressure built irresistibly. Gary Neville could have atoned for his earlier error but fluffed his chance when Jason Wilcox froze under Giggs's cross. But then came Cole, scoring a superb goal, the ball fed to him through the quick minds of Scholes and Beckham. On Cole raced, arrowing in from the right, soon to be confronted by Stephane Henchoz. The Swiss defender attempted to usher Cole away from goal but the United forward, twisting inside, created a yard of space and shot confidently in past Alan Fettis. Newly inspired, United were in the mood, tearing into tackles, never afraid to confront opponents. Even Ferguson, enraged by Wilcox's hand in Beckham's face, rushed out to give the benefit of his short-syllabled opinion to the referee's assistant. Yet soon United's impassioned manager was leaping up and down like an excited schoolboy. On 72 minutes United took the lead with a goal brilliant in its inception and bizarre in its execution. Gary Neville intercepted the ball down the right, allowing Beckham to take up the running. The England player's cross curled around the unfortunate Colin Hendry and was diverted off Scholes's knee past Fettis. Rovers refused to be muscled out. Hendry and then Kenna brought good saves from Schmeichel, Gallacher shot wide as United held on to the full complement of points. In the final minute, to confirm their comeback, Beckham added a third from Giggs's pass. Liverpool are next. _________________________________________________________________ Blackburn (1) 1 Man Utd (0) 3 Sutton 32 pen; Cole 56, Scholes 73, Beckham 89. Blackburn: Fettis, Kenna, Sherwood, Hendry, Gallacher, Sutton, Wilcox, Flitcroft, McKinlay, Henchoz, Duff. Subs Not Used: Davidson, Ripley, Dahlin, Broomes, Williams. Booked: McKinlay, Flitcroft. Man Utd: Schmeichel, G. Neville, Irwin, Johnsen, Pallister, Beckham, Cole, Giggs, P. Neville, Scholes, Solskjaer (Butt 46). Subs Not Used: May, Sheringham, Thornley, Van Der Gouw. Booked: Pallister, P. Neville, Johnsen. Att: 30,547 Ref: G R Ashby (Worcester). _________________________________________________________________ Soccer-Cole goal sparks Manchester United fightback (adds detail, quotes) By Jeremy Butler LONDON, April 6 (Reuters) - Manchester United manager Alex Ferguson admitted his side had almost handed the premier league title to Arsenal before coming back from a goal down to beat Blackburn Rovers 3-1 on Monday. Strikes from Andy Cole and David Beckham sandwiched around a fluke Paul Scholes goal were enough to see United home after Blackburn's Chris Sutton had opened the scoring with a first half penalty. It was during a sterile opening 45 minutes by United that Ferguson thought his team were about to be torn apart by rampant Blackburn. Sutton and Kevin Gallacher gave United's back line a torrid evening with a high class showing of forward play. A relieved Ferguson said later: "I can't remember getting as big a going over as we did in the first half. "We were absolutely outfought, outrun and outplayed and had to improve in the second half. With a bit of bad luck we could have been well out of the title race by halftime because they were that good. "But I believe we will play far better in future. I expect Ryan Giggs and Gary Pallister to be better for the game after coming back from injury and I expect one or two others to improve." Ferguson felt Cole's 56th minute strike was the turning point. "To see an equaliser go in when you have been playing so well and were on top certainly would have knocked them," he said. "The United boss played down his clever tactical switch of sending on the terrier-like Nicky Butt for the second half in place of ineffective Norwegian striker Ole Gunnar Solskjaer. "I think Butt was instrumental in getting us going by getting a foot in the middle of the park and turning it around," he said. Disappointed Blackburn manager Roy Hodgson claimed his side should have been given a second penalty in the 76th minute that would have levelled the scores. Gallacher was tripped in the box by Pallister but referee Gerald Ashby ignored the Blackburn's protests. Said Hodgson: "You have to give United credit, though. To come back from 1-0 down away from home and turn it around against a team playing so well is an achievement." Cole's goal, only his second in his last 13 league appearances, was a beauty. He broke down the right, cut inside full back Stephan Henchoz and beat goalkeeper Alan Fettis with an acutely angled shot for his 23rd strike of the season. Scholes's goal in the 73rd minute was more mundane but no less important. Beckham crossed from the right, the ball bounced off Scholes's knee, wrong-footing Fettis, and trickled into the goal. Beckham put the icing on the cake in injury time when he broke clear and steered his shot wide of Fettis. Blackburn's penalty was awarded in the 32nd minute when England full back Gary Neville hauled down Damien Duff just inside the area after being beaten for pace by the Ireland international. United's win stretched their lead to six points over Arsenal who have played three games fewer. © 1998 SportsLine USA, Inc. _________________________________________________________________ April 7 1998 FOOTBALL Ferguson's side confirm title pedigree at Ewood Park Happy returns for United BY OLIVER HOLT FOOTBALL CORRESPONDENT Blackburn Rovers ...1 Manchester United ...3 Top of table A LOCAL paper had labelled the quartet of returning players "The Crunch Bunch". Another was saying that the restoration of "The Famous Four" would stop Manchester United's championship jitters turning into a fully fledged case of the shakes. Sure enough, just when the title seemed to be ebbing further away from them in the fraught surroundings of Ewood Park last night, The Crunch Bunch came through. As Arsène Wenger and his Arsenal team gathered around their television sets and rubbed their hands in expectation of another United stumble in the struggle for FA Carling Premiership dominance, a United team restored to something like full strength fought back from a goal down to surge past Blackburn Rovers. United are now six points clear at the top and although Arsenal have three games in hand, the way that United celebrated this victory suggested that its cathartic value, its capacity to steady shredded nerves and steal back momentum that had slipped away to North London, may mean it was the latest of many turning-points in the battle at the top this season. The Crunch Bunch - Schmeichel, Pallister, Butt and Giggs - all absent during much of the recent period of United's travails, gave performances that suggested United will be hard for Arsenal to overhaul now that they are fully fit. In this mood, United will beat Liverpool on Good Friday and make the hill even steeper for Arsenal to climb. After they had been thoroughly outplayed in the first half and had deservedly gone behind to a penalty from the excellent Sutton, United hit back after the interval with a fine goal from Cole. Scholes put them ahead with a strike that owed something to fortune, but United finished things off in style in the last minute when Giggs freed Beckham, who slid his shot past Fettis. Alex Ferguson, the United manager, had betrayed his own view of the importance of the match in the second half, leaping off the bench to remonstrate with referee and linesman after the tackles and the elbows had started to fly in. Afterwards, he admitted that defeat would have given Arsenal a significant advantage in the run-in. "I have been replaying the last two years in my mind," Ferguson said, "and I cannot recall us ever being given the kind of doing that Blackburn gave us in the first half. We were out-thought, outfought, outrun and outplayed. We just had to try to impose ourselves on the game a little bit, at least do that. "Let's be honest about it: if we had lost tonight, it would have given Arsenal a massive boost. We have had a warning about our performance level here. I would expect us to play far better against Liverpool on Friday. Giggs has come through with no problem at all and that will have done him good. It was a really gritty performance and we are going to need that now. I just pray that Blackburn can play like they did in the first half against Arsenal next week. They should bottle that." Ferguson had sprung a surprise before the game by deciding not to restore Sheringham to the starting line-up after his one-match suspension. Solskjaer began in attack with Cole but, in the first half, they hardly got a kick. Blackburn, with Sutton and Gallacher outstanding in attack and McKinlay dominant in midfield, were in control. Schmeichel was in uncharacteristically uncertain form, dropping crosses here and free kicks there, but he escaped unpunished. So did United until, after 31 minutes, Duff escaped from the shackles that Gary Neville had clamped on him and burst into the area. Neville appeared to push him to the ground, the referee awarded a penalty and Sutton dispatched it low past Schmeichel. In the second half, though, Ferguson brought on Butt for Solskjaer and pushed Scholes into a more advanced position, and United were a different team. Giggs hit his stride, Cole's runs carried more conviction and Butt held everything together as passions began to run high. Nine minutes after the interval, Gary Neville almost made amends for conceding the penalty when he forced his way in front of Wilcox in Blackburn's six-yard box and found himself with a clear shooting chance. The ball did not fall kindly for him, though, and he could only direct his shot weakly at Fettis. A minute later, however, United equalised. Beckham played a cushioned chip down the right wing into the path of Cole, who cut inside Henchoz as if he was not there and sent a scything, left-foot shot skimming across the grass, across Fettis and into the bottom corner of the goal. Ferguson came storming on to the touchline to protest at a linesman who was flagging for a foul by Beckham on Wilcox and had to be restrained by the fourth official, Uriah Rennie. Ferguson soon forgot his anger, though, when Gary Neville intercepted a pass by Wilcox and fed the ball to Beckham. His curling cross hit the on-rushing Scholes on the thigh and, with Fettis wrong-footed, the ball rolled slowly into the net. Schmeichel showed his true worth in the dying minutes, first saving Hendry's powerful header from a corner and then blocking Kenna's close-range shot with his legs. Beckham wrapped it up with his cool finish after Giggs's incisive through-ball had ripped open the tiring Blackburn defence. The Crunch Bunch had done their job. BLACKBURN ROVERS (4-4-2): A Fettis - J Kenna, C Hendry, S Henchoz, J Wilcox - G Flitcroft, W McKinlay, T Sherwood, D Duff - K Gallacher, C Sutton. MANCHESTER UNITED (4-4-2): P Schmeichel - G Neville, R Johnsen, G Pallister, D Irwin - D Beckham, P Neville, P Scholes, R Giggs - O G Solskjaer (sub: N Butt, 46min), A Cole. Referee: G Ashby. Copyright 1998 Times Newspapers Ltd. _________________________________________________________________ United raise title tempo By David Lacey Tuesday April 7, 1998 Paul Scholes swung a tense and often heated match Manchester United's way at Ewood Park last night when he put them ahead 18 minutes from the end with a shot that bobbled into the Blackburn Rovers net off his knee after Colin Hendry had failed to intercept David Beckham's centre. Earlier in the second half Andy Cole's second Premiership goal this year had brought the scores level, United having fallen behind to Chris Sutton's penalty. Then in the 90th minute Ryan Giggs hit a perfectly flighted ball from midfield for Beckham to wrap it up. The outcome was always going to decide how much life this season's championship had left in it. Arsenal, 13 points behind United at Christmas, were now sniffing at the champions' heels. With victories from each of their last three visits to Ewood, United clearly hoped to add further weight to the theory of horses for courses; Red Rum, that is, rather than Devon Loch. To this end they had recalled a trio of thoroughbreds to their side. Peter Schmeichel, Gary Pallister and Giggs were all fit, Giggs after missing eight games. Yet Teddy Sheringham, having served a one-match ban, began the match only on the United bench. Five defeats in a dozen Premiership games had kept United in Arsenal's sight at the top, but five in nine had raised doubts about Blackburn's staying power in the contest for places in Europe. The potency of the Blackburn attack was quickly in evidence. In the third minute Sutton instigated a movement which saw Gallacher's back-heel release Garry Flitcroft for a dangerous low centre which Gary Neville diverted beyond the far post before Sutton could reach it. By then Giggs had already reminded Jeff Kenna, Blackburn's right-back, of his explosive pace. But with Nicky Butt among the substitutes a midfield partnership of Paul Scholes and Phil Neville took a while to establish some sort of parity with Tim Sherwood and Billy McKinlay. Hodgson's decision to start with Flitcroft, rather than Stuart Ripley, on the right strengthened Blackburn's resistance against Giggs but deprived them of natural width on that side of the field. On the left they looked to the wiles of Damien Duff but the team had lost some balance. To get the better of Pallister near goal Sutton needed a more regular, and more accurate, supply of crosses than came his way in the opening half-hour. Schmeichel was a spectator for long periods, although he did make one edgy save from Kenna midway through the first half and later fumbled a free-kick from Stephane Henchoz. With Giggs finding it difficult to evade both Kenna and Flitcroft and Beckham a peripheral figure on the right, little of consequence reached the United strikers Cole and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer. Sutton, with his ability to link up the play and then get on the end of movements, remained the game's best chance of breaking a scrappy stalemate. Which is precisely what he did just past the half-hour. A neat return ball to Duff gave the winger the chance to take on Gary Neville for speed and skill. As Duff was beating his man Neville brought him down, leaving Sutton to give Blackburn the lead from the penalty spot - and score the 100th goal of his career. Not surprisingly Solskjaer gave way to Butt for the second half, enabling Scholes to move forward in support of Cole. United need to raise the tempo of their own game but there was little immediate sign of this happening, and after Butt's slip had enabled to Duff to run at an undermanned United defence the champions were relieved that Gallacher's poorly-aimed cross dropped into Schmeichel's hands. This was soon to prove a watershed for Rovers. After 53 minutes a much better centre from Giggs exposed Blackburn's defence for the first time. Jason Wilcox, misreading the flight, missed the ball and it fell to Gary Neville who had only Alan Fettis to beat but topped his shot. Two minutes later Cole showed how it should be done. Beckham's pass gave him an opportunity to threaten Blackburn on the right. Henchoz moved across to cover the danger and appeared to be forcing Cole towards the corner flag. But quickness on the turn is Cole's stock in trade and the Swiss centre-back was left helpless as the United striker cut past him on the inside before driving the ball low into the far corner of the net. As the tension grew, and Beckham and Wilcox exchanged fouls, a protesting Alex Ferguson had to be pulled away from officials, inclouding the reserve referee Uriah Rennie. Blackburn Rovers (4-4-2): Fettis; Kenna, Henchoz, Hendry, Wilcox; Flitcroft, Sherwood, McKinlay, Duff; Sutton, Gallacher. Manchester United (4-4-2): Schmeichel; G Neville, Johnsen, Pallister, Irwin; Beckham, Scholes, P Neville, Giggs; Cole, Solskjaer (Butt, h-t). Referee: G R Ashby (Worcester). Guardian _________________________________________________________________ Blackburn v Man United 06/04/98 8.00 Blackburn (1) 1 Man United (0) 3 FT Sutton 32 (pen) Cole 56 Scholes 73 Beckham 89 Paul Scholes will score many better goals in the future, but if Manchester United retain their title next month, he will score few more important goals than the one which effectively put them six points clear of Arsenal. Alex Ferguson had seen his side run ragged by a one-man demonstration of the art of forward play by Chris Sutton, even though he had recalled Peter Schmeichel, Gary Pallister and Ryan Giggs. Sutton's first-half penalty, after Gary Neville had brought Damien Duff crashing to the ground, was no more than Roy Hodgson's side deserved. With Sutton dominant, Rovers controlling midfield and Colin Hendry a tower of defensive strength, they looked on course to record only their second win in 12 Premiership attempts over the Reds. But Ferguson's introduction of Nicky Butt as a half-time substitute saw United drag themselves back into the game by their bootstraps. Andy Cole, released by David Beckham, twisted past Stephane Henchoz to claim his 23rd goal of the season, but only his second in the League in 1998. Then Scholes struck the vital blow. Beckham sped down the right before firing in a low cross which Hendry could not quite reach and the ball struck Scholes on the outside of his right knee and dribbled past a helpless Alan Fettis. With virtually the final kick, Beckham, freed by a sliderule pass from Giggs, sealed the victory with an assured finish that puts the pressure back on the Gunners, even if they have three games in hand. It all came right in the end, but at half-time it was certainly not what Ferguson had envisaged when he put the names of Schmeichel, Pallister and Giggs on his team-sheet. Giggs' return after an eight-match lay-off - United had won just two in his absence - saw Ronny Johnsen return to the defence, with Ole Solskjaer surprisingly continuing as Cole's striker partner and Teddy Sheringham left on the bench. From the outset, though, Sutton seemed determined to turn the match into a one-man show. Perhaps it was the memory of his Old Trafford red card, perhaps just being reunited with Kevin Gallacher - the most prolific partnership in the Premiership this term with 30 goals between them at the start. Whatever the reason, Sutton was sensational, giving Pallister and Johnsen an evening they will want to forget, and one which makes his row with Glenn Hoddle all the more regrettable. Inside four minutes Sutton soared above Pallister to nod down for Gallacher, but the most impressive of back-post interventions by Gary Neville prevented him from converting Garry Flitcroft's low cross. Flitcroft was one of the three tigers in the Rovers midfield tank, Billy McKinlay and Tim Sherwood joining him in crowding out United, and supporting Sutton. Giggs had drifted out of the game, even though Hodgson's men had no natural width on the right, while Sutton's dominance saw Pallister booked for one crude grapple. Despite that, the first shot on target did not come until the 23rd minute, Sutton - inevitably - releasing Jeff Kenna to cut inside and shoot weakly. Schmeichel, however, failed to hold it first time and then spilled a high ball from deep and a Duff corner. His uncharacteristic fumblings did not help United settle and when they pushed forward, Hendry was outstanding. On the half-hour Rovers earned their reward. The Ewood fans had not forgiven Gerald Ashby for the controversial penalty he had awarded against Henning Berg - then at Rovers - in their championship season, but this one was clearcut. Sutton fed Jason Wilcox, who laid the ball into Duff. The young Irishman was confronted by Scholes and Neville, who initially hitched a piggy-back ride on Duff just outside the box. But he took the ride all the way inside, so that Duff had nowhere to go but down, and when Mr Ashby awarded the penalty, Sutton drilled the ball home under the diving Schmeichel. United had to improve and when Butt - whose calf problem meant he had not been risked from the start - replaced the disappointing Solskjaer, United were a different proposition. McKinlay and Flitcroft, who had been so formidable, were both booked within four minutes of the restart for fouls on Beckham and Phil Neville respectively, and the chances started to come. Gary Neville wasted the first by shooting weakly from eight yards at Fettis - deputising for the injured Tim Flowers - when Wilcox went to sleep as Giggs centred from the United left. Two minutes later, though, Cole equalised, receiving Beckham's driven pass down the right, turning inside Henchoz as if he was not there and planting a low, left-footed shot past Fettis into the bottom corner. Now everything changed, United suddenly showing the conviction lacking earlier as Butt's presence gave them the drive they had been so clearly missing in the opening period. Even so, Rovers had Sutton and he was so close to converting Wilcox's pass after Duff's flick had sent the makeshift left-back away. But Giggs was also finding room and he was released by Cole for a cross that Scholes met firmly, but a fraction off target before the passions boiled over. Beckham, incensed by what he claimed was an unpunished elbow by Wilcox, went in high in retaliation and Ferguson himself remonstrated with Mr Ashby and his linesman, before Scholes flew in on McKinlay. United, though, had the bit between their teeth, aware of how vital victory was, and pushed forward in search of the goal that could prove so crucial come May 10. Even when it came - Scholes rightly claimed the goal, even if he did not know too much about it - Blackburn could have claimed a point. Sutton dragged one shot wide, before Hendry, up to meet Flitcroft's corner and left unmarked, thundered his header straight at Schmeichel. It was still not over. Mr Ashby played on when Gallacher was dumped, but Schmeichel stood up to foil Kenna and Gallacher fired wide after outpacing Johnsen. But United stood firm and finished Rovers off in the final minute, Giggs brilliantly releasing Beckham, whose finish was impeccable. United play Liverpool on Friday, with the chance to really put the pressure on, but this, for 45 minutes at least, was a champions' display. Blackburn: (4-4-2) Fettis, Kenna, Sherwood, Hendry, Gallacher, Sutton, Wilcox, Flitcroft, McKinlay, Henchoz, Duff. Subs not used: Davidson, Ripley, Dahlin, Broomes, Williams. Booked: McKinlay, Flitcroft. Man United: (4-4-2) Schmeichel, G. Neville, Irwin, Johnsen, Pallister, Beckham, Cole, Giggs, P. Neville, Scholes, Solskjaer (Butt, 46). Subs not used: May, Sheringham, Thornley, Van Der Gouw. Booked: Pallister, P. Neville, Johnsen. Attendance: 30,547. Referee: G R Ashby (Worcester). _________________________________________________________________ COLE SPARKS GREAT ESCAPE By Martin Lipton, PA Sport Chief Soccer Writer Alex Ferguson sighed with relief after a stunning Ewood Park turnaround and admitted he feared his men were blowing the title. Run ragged by a Chris Sutton wondershow that only earned Blackburn a spot-kick reward, United seemed to be kissing goodbye to their Premiership crown. But sparked by the interval introduction of Nicky Butt, Andy Cole hauled United level with their first real shot of the game. Then a fluke from Paul Scholes - he converted David Beckham's cross with the outside of his right knee past a wrong-footed Alan Fettis - nudged them ahead, before Beckham sealed a 3-1 victory in the final minute from Ryan Giggs' perfect pass. It was a win that put United back six points ahead of Arsenal, although the Gunners have three games in hand. But Ferguson revealed he feared the title was slipping from his side's grasp at the break. "We could've been out of the match, and out of the championship race, by half-time," said Ferguson. "If we'd got beaten it would've given Arsenal a massive boost, three points behind with three in hand, and that was the way it was looking. "I honestly can't remember the last time we got a 'doing' like we did in the first half. "We were absolutely out-thought, out-fought, out-run and out-played. Sutton and Kevin Gallacher were brilliant for them, the interchange and movement was outstanding. "We started to impose ourselves when Butt came on, stopping Billy McKinlay from running the game, but the turning point was Cole's goal. "I knew we were going to come back at some stage - although I couldn't see when - and 1-0 is always dangerous. "But Cole got a goal out of nothing and suddenly, from a position of absolutely slaughtering us, it was 1-1. "They still played some excellent football and they've got the right to feel sorry for themselves because they played the better football. "At this stage of the season your fighting qualities are important. We didn't give up. It wasn't a good performance but it got us a very important result." Ferguson's own fiery determination was shown in his response to a clash between Beckham and Jason Wilcox after the United man felt he had been caught by a flailing hand. The Old Trafford boss rushed from his dug-out to stand toe-to-toe with referee Gerald Ashby and his linesman, but laughed it off afterwards. "I just gave a little reminder to everyone if they think I'm going to retire and have a nice easy life!" said Fergie. "Wilcox definitely hit him with the hand and the linesman should've seen it. If a season goes by without me losing my temper, will you tell me and let me do something about it?" While Ferguson said his side had been handed "a warning" by their display, Rovers boss Roy Hodgson seemed almost inconsolable. "It wasn't a bad performance but it was a very bad result - and I find myself saying that too often for my comfort or the team's comfort," he said. "It's a crumb of comfort that Alex said we'd played the better football but I'd much rather have played the worst and won the game. "We had more chances and didn't defend badly, had the lion's share of possession, but they got the three points and that's why they're going for the championship. "Either I'm talking rubbish, or there's something wrong. And that's something we have to put right." Maybe so, but Ferguson would certainly be happy with more of the same from Hodgson's side when they entertain the Gunners next Monday. "I just hope they can play like that again," said Ferguson, whose side can extend their lead to nine points when they host Liverpool on Good Friday. "They should bottle that. As a manager you just hope you can produce that kind of performance." © PA Sporting Life _________________________________________________________________ |
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