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Saturday 27 December 1997
Issue 946


Leaders widen the gap after crushing Everton
By William Johnson


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          Man Utd (2) 2 Everton (0) 0
          
          SIX POINTS clear going into the second half of the season,
          Manchester United look unstoppable in their quest to secure a
          fifth championship in six years before they concentrate their
          minds again on the overwhelming priority of bringing the
          Euoropean Cup back to Old Trafford.
          
          By the time Alex Ferguson's supremely confident team - maybe
          squad is a better way of describing them in view of the
          manager's constant shuffling of resources - lock horns with the
          French champions Monaco in March, the title race could be done
          and dusted, or at the very least be reduced to a minor
          distraction.
          
          Another Stamford Bridge slip-up by Chelsea, the team from the
          chasing pack Ferguson fears most, followed by a similar
          deadlock involving Blackburn Rovers at Hillsborough, enabled
          United to strengthen their grip on the Premiership.
          
          "Men against boys" was how Everton's disconsolate manager
          Howard Kendall summed up what he called a long and humiliating
          90 minutes. Kendall, frustrated by an enormous list of
          unavailabilities, rightly questioned the commitment of his
          players on an occasion when he expected little reward.
          
          "The scoreline flatters us," added Kendall, who suggested that
          United had been given Boxing Day off to extend their welcome
          Christmas holiday. "At times it looked too much for some of our
          players." Indeed the gulf in class was phenomenal, and if fault
          can be found with United in their irresistible form, it is in
          their complacency when inferior opposition is there for the
          killing.
          
          The Ferguson of a couple of years ago would have pounced on
          that shortcoming with a timely public threat of wielding the
          axe. He made no such complaints last night, celebrating another
          good day at the office at a time when demands on his squad are
          at their greatest.
          
          Besides, he had set the complacent tone for the afternoon by
          leaving out three of his best players - Peter Schmeichel, Ryan
          Giggs and Teddy Sheringham - for the visit of a team who until
          last weekend had gone more than a year without an away victory.
          
          Schmeichel was not left out by choice, the commanding Danish
          goalkeeper suffering a recurrence of back problems. "He could
          have played, but I thought it wiser not to risk him," explained
          Ferguson.
          
          He later had the luxury of easing the burden on Gary
          Pallister's creaking joints - David Beckham and Phil Neville
          also retired early - so marked was United's dominance. An
          outrageously one-sided affair was settled from the 35th-minute
          moment when Andy Cole extended his magnificent scoring sequence
          of 13 in 11 matches.
          
          Cole embarrassed Everton's new goalkeeper Thomas Myhre with an
          exquisite chip from 25 yards out - a demonstration of skill,
          which reminded an ecstatic crowd of Eric Cantona's brilliant
          finish against Sunderland last Christmas.
          
          United had gone in front 20 minutes earlier when Henning Berg
          became the first player to score against Myhre since the
          Norwegian's transfer from Viking Stavanger. Berg seized the
          chance to punish his compatriot after another Norwegian Ronny
          Johnsen headed a Beckham corner back across goal to force a
          weak attempted clearance from Earl Barrett.
          
          The period between the two goals produced rich entertainment,
          all of it coming from United.
          
          Everton, who must have known about Kevin Pilkington's
          uncertainty on previous rare appearances in the United goal,
          failed even to test Schmeichel's understudy until Gareth
          Farrelly let fly from 40 yards early in the second half. By
          then Everton should have been buried. Beckham, whose overall
          performance was outstanding, was guilty of shooting twice from
          difficult positions when simple lay-offs would have provided
          tap-ins for Cole, while Ole Gunnar Solskjaer and full-back Gary
          Neville also fired recklessly from promising situations.
          
          Paul Scholes was denied what would have been another
          collectors' item by the save of the match from Myhre, and Cole
          had a close-range effort ruled out for offside and other
          blocked by Craig Short's tackle.
          __________________________________________________________
          
          Man Utd (2) 2 Everton (0) 0
          Berg 14, Cole 35.

          Man Utd: Pilkington, G. Neville, Johnsen, Pallister (McClair
          74), Beckham (Poborsky 66), Butt, Cole, P. Neville (Curtis 83),
          Scholes, Solskjaer, Berg. Subs Not Used: Sheringham, Giggs.
          Booked: G. Neville, Cole, Poborsky.

          Everton: Myhre, Barrett (Allen 65), Short, Hinchcliffe, Tiler,
          Watson (Jeffers 45), Ball (Thomsen 78), Oster, Farrelly,
          Barmby, Cadamarteri. Subs Not Used: Gerrard, Thomas. Booked:
          Farrelly, Allen.

          Att: 55,167
          Ref: U D Rennie (Sheffield).
          __________________________________________________________

   LONDON, Dec 26 (AFP) - Manchester United rested several star  
players but still powered six points clear at the top of the English 
Premiership after a comfortable 2-0 win over fallen giants Everton 
on Friday. 

   Goalkeeper Peter Schmeichel was sent home after arriving at Old  
Trafford with a heavy cold before United boss Alex Ferguson decided 
to leave key forwards Ryan Giggs and Teddy Sheringham on the bench. 

   But the reigning champions provided ominous evidence of their  
strength in depth by brushing aside second-bottom Everton courtesy 
of goals from Henning Berg and Andy Cole. 

   United's cause was helped after title challengers Chelsea and  
Blackburn were held to draws by Wimbledon and Sheffield Wednesday 
respectively. 

   Everton boss Howard Kendall slammed his players after watching  
them slump to their 11th Premiership defeat of the season at Old 
Trafford. 

   "It was an embarrassing 90 minutes, to be honest. It was men  
against boys. The scoreline flattered us. 

   "No-one expected us to come here and get a result but I think  
the way the 90 minutes were played was very disappointing to watch 
for anyone connected with Everton." 

   United manager Alex Ferguson was in more festive mood but said  
he was disappointed by his players' display in the second half. 

   "The first half was superb at times but the second half was a  
bit of a non event," he said. 

   Elsewhere, Stan Collymore put his personal problems behind him  
to help Aston Villa to a crushing 4-1 over struggling Tottenham. 

   Collymore, who was charged by police with assaulting his former  
girlfriend in a nightclub on Christmas Eve, boosted his meagre goal 
tally to four in 22 games with two late strikes. 

   The seven million pound signing from Liverpool struck from close  
range to make it 3-1 before curling in a stunning free-kick to seal 
the rout in the final minute. 

   Villa midfielder Mark Draper was also in outstanding form,  
scoring Villa's first two goals. Colin Calderwood earlier equalised 
for sad Spurs with what proved to be no more than a consolation 
goal. 

   Liverpool manager Roy Evans breathed a sigh of relief after  
watching his strikers waste a string of good chances before wrapping 
up an impressive 3-1 victory over Leeds. 

   Teenage sensation Michael Owen was outstanding, scoring a minute  
into the second half, but Robbie Fowler missed a hatful of chances 
before netting twice in four minutes to clinch the points. 

   Evans said: "When you miss as many chances as we did, you are  
constantly worried about slipping up. I couldn't relax for one 
moment." 

   Third-placed Chelsea are 11-2 second favourites behind United to  
win the title, but manager Ruud Gullit said expectations had grown 
too great at the west London club after watching his side grind out 
a dull 1-1 draw with Wimbledon. 

   "Some expectations are too much," said Gullit. "You have to be  
realistic. I look to go step by step but others want us to take four 
steps ahead." 

   Goalkeeper Alan Fettis, making his debut, helped second-placed  
Blackburn to a welcome point at Wednesday, but the result will be a 
disappointment for Roy Hodgson's side who now trail United by six 
points. 

   The Northern Ireland international made several key saves as  
Blackburn's three-game winning streak ended and Ron Atkinson's side 
halted a two-game losing run. 

   Arsenal survived a late fightback to breathe fresh life into  
their flagging title challenge with a hard-fought victory over 
Martin O'Neill's Leicester. 

   The Gunners went 2-0 up through former England captain David  
Platt and an own goal by Steve Walsh, before Neil Lennon seized on a 
mistake by England goalkeeper David Seaman to reduce the deficit and 
set up a grandstand finish at Highbury. 

   Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger admitted: "It made me absolutely  
nervous. The last 15 minutes or so were terrible." 

   Newcastle midfielder David Batty faces a three-match ban after  
he was dismissed for the second time this season in his side's 1-0 
defeat at Derby.    It was Newcastle's seventh league defeat of the 
season and the scoreline could have been emabarrasing for Kenny 
Dalglish's side but for some wasteful finishing by the home side. 

   Derby boss Jim Smith said: "We didn't punish them enough. We  
produced enough chances to have scored four or five goals in the 
game as we have in many of our recent performances." 

   West Ham's fine home form continued with a 1-0 home victory over  
struggling Coventry courtesy of a 17th minute strike by former 
Newcastle striker Paul Kitson. 

   Coventry's misery was compounded by the dismissal of George  
Boateng, a recent signing from Feyenoord, for two bookable 
offences. 

   Bolton and Barnsley battled each other to a 1-1 draw at the  
Reebok Stadium for a result that does little for either side's fight 
for survival. 

   Macedonian international Georgi Hristov gave Barnsley the lead  
after 20 minutes before Bolton's Icelandic defender Gudni Bergsson 
scored a superb equaliser with a stunning 35-yard shot. 

   Crystal Palace were left searching for their first home win of  
the season after being held to a 1-1 draw by Southampton at Selhurst 
Park. 

   Matt Oakley opened the scoring for Southampton in the 39th  
minute before former Southampton striker Neil Shipperley levelled 
the match on 62 minutes. Israeli international Itzik Zohar missed a 
second-half penalty for Palace. 
          __________________________________________________________

Friday, December 26, 1997

MANCHESTER UNITED 2 - 0 EVERTON 
Berg (14)  
Cole (35) 

Andy Cole's anointment as the official goal king of Old Trafford was
confirmed with a strike straight out of the Eric Cantona catalogue of
classics. 

The £7million striker, who had plundered goals almost at will for previous
employers Newcastle, was afflicted by a crisis of confidence not so long
ago. 

But Cole is now strutting the demanding Old Trafford stage with a meanness
and arrogance which is ominous for the rest of the Premiership. 

Even the departed Frenchman, whose body language when partnering Cole
seemed to border on contempt, would have offered a Gallic salute to the
Cole goal which enriched an afternoon of easy pickings for Alex Ferguson's
champions. 

United were already coasting at 1-0 thanks to a first League goal at
United for Henning Berg when Nicky Butt presented a simple through ball
for Cole. 

Maybe last season the striker, 25 yards out, would have looked to have
unburdened the load by passing to the nearest red shirt. 

But not the Cole who entered this festive frolic on the back of 12 goals
in 10 games. Instead, he calmly looked up to chip the sweetest of efforts
over Everton goalkeeper Thomas Myhre and end the Norwegian's Premiership
honeymoon of three clean sheets since joining the Merseysiders for
£800,000 from Viking Stavangar. 

It was a carbon copy of a Cantona special against Sunderland at Old
Trafford last season and helped open up a six-point lead at the top for
United. 

If the sight of Cole in full flow didn't put the fear of God into their
would-be pursuers then a sneak at United's substitutes surely would. With
a hectic schedule ahead, manager Ferguson left Ryan Giggs and Teddy
Sheringham on the bench and it was an indictment of troubled Everton's
toothless response to their predicament that neither were disturbed. 

While United go from strength to strength, Everton's flirtation with
relegation is becoming a torrid affair with few signs of redemption.
Howard Kendall's side were never able to build on their first away league
win in 12 months last week at Leicester. 

Chairman Peter Johnson is sunning himself in Barbados. Its hard to
determine where the greatest heat lies, in the Caribbean or Premiership
basement. 

United, who made it six straight League wins, were able to take their foot
off the gas in the second half, which clearly annoyed Goodison Park boss
Kendall. 

Ferguson's awesome machine can do little wrong, although the United
manager said: 'The six-point lead has surpassed our expectations at this
stage of the season. 

'The Cole goal was an absolutely brilliant one and shows the confidence
that Andy is displaying right now.'

Dejected Kendall would love some confidence to be injected into his
sliding outfit. He said: 'It was an embarrassing 90 minutes for us. It was
men against boys and the scoreline flatters us. 

'Manchester United have had two days off, Christmas Day and Boxing Day. I
was looking for more of a battling performance, even though no-one really
gave us a chance. 

'United were never really extended and that isn't good enough.'

What was even more galling for Everton was that United goal keeper Peter
Schmeichel, absent with a back problem, wasn't missed. 

With Raimond Van der Gouw recovering from surgery, third choice Kevin
Pilkington was shoved into the fray and, apart from a save at Danny
Cadamar teri's feet, he was rarely troubled. 

The game was over as a contest after just 14 minutes, when United galloped
into the lead. A deep corner from the impressive David Beckham was headed
back across goal by Ronny Johnsen and when Everton defender Earl Barrett
sliced towards his own goal Berg helped it on its way. 

There should have been more for United, although Myhre did brilliantly to
keep out a stunning volley from Paul Scholes. 

Beckham, looking full of run ning and vigour, cut in from the right,
ignored the lurking Cole and fired against the bar, while another Cole
effort was blocked by Craig Short in front of goal as United again spurted
with lightning speed into the danger area. 

Cole had an effort disallowed for offside, only to celebrate a few minutes
later with one of the best goals of his career. 

Everton, in their desperation, introduced 16-year-old substitute Francis
Jeffers, obviously in the belief that he couldn't do any worse than his
more experienced colleagues. 

But United still carried the major threat as the game fizzled out to an
inevitable conclusion. 

A ferocious Butt tackle launched United goalwards again and Myhre made a
fine one handed stop from Beckham. 

Experienced United defender Gary Pallister said: 'We should have put a few
more chances away, but even so it was a confident performance. Some of the
passing and movement was first class. I felt David Beck ham's range of
passing was excellent. He was pulling the strings early on. 

'When you see players like Giggs and Sheringham on the bench it proves
that we have a massive squad and we have great competition for places
here. It means the manager can freshen things up and replace players if he
wants to. 

'Playing two games in two days is ridiculous and so it was important to
win this one. May be we weren't stretched but we are playing with
confidence.'

Manchester United (4-4-2): Pilkington; G Neville, Pallister (McClair,
73min), Berg, P Neville (Curtis, 83); Johnsen, Beckham (Poborsky, 65),
Butt, Scholes;  Cole, Solskjaer. Booked: G Neville, Cole, Poborsky. 

Everton (3-5-2): Myhre; Short, Tiler, Watson (Jeffers, 46); Hinchcliffe; 
Barrett (Allen, 65), Ball (Thomsen, 78), Oster, Farrelly; Barmby,
Cadamarteri.  Booked: Farrelly, Allen. 

Referee: Uriah Rennie. 
          __________________________________________________________

                     Man United v Everton 26/12/97 3.00
                                      
Man United              (2) 2 Everton                 (0) 0 FT
Berg 14
Cole 35

   Manchester United stuffed Everton in this Boxing Day turkey shoot at
   Old Trafford but should have won by an even bigger margin.
   
   The damage was done during a fantastic first half by the champions,
   with Henning Berg scoring the first on 14 minutes - his first league
   goal for the Premiership leaders - before Andy Cole added a superb
   second 20 minutes later.
   
   Kevin Pilkington made his first league start of the season after Peter
   Schmeichel was believed to have left the ground to tend to a family
   problem just before kickoff.
   
   United took the first 10 minutes to find their stride but once they
   did, there was no stopping them.
   
   They opened the scoring when David Beckham's drilled corner was headed
   back across goal by Ronny Johnsen and Earl Barrett knocked it towards
   his own net for Berg to apply the final touch.
   
   The header was Berg's second goal of the season, while it was also the
   first time Thomas Myhre has been beaten in 284 minutes in the Everton
   goal.
   
   A minute later Myhre made a superb one-handed save to keep out Paul
   Scholes' spectacular volley from Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's cross.
   
   United refused to show any Christmas spirit to the tortured Toffees,
   who had seven players out injured and another two suspended.
   
   Beckham cut in from the right to graze the crossbar with a shot while
   Solskjaer fired into the side netting on the left.
   
   Scuffles broke out in the United end as stewards tried to make
   standing fans sit down in the latest episode of that long-running
   saga.
   
   A small section of supporters refused to be seated and jeered chairman
   Martin Edwards.
   
   United scored a second on 29 minutes through Cole, but it was
   disallowed because he was offside.
   
   Still the home side poured forward and Solskjaer shot just past the
   post, but on 34 minutes came the inevitable second goal thanks to a
   piece of magic from the on-song Cole.
   
   Gary Pallister played the ball out of defence to Nicky Butt, who
   released Cole and checked before chipping the ball beautifully over
   Myhre and into the top left-hand corner.
   
   It was his 16th goal of the season and his 13th in his last 12 games.
   
   The jubilant United fans could even afford to jokingly mock Gary
   Neville after he unleashed a wayward shot into the crowd.
   
   They were nearly celebrating a third goal four minutes before
   half-time when Solskjaer's header from Gary Neville's cross was tipped
   over the bar by Myhre.
   
   At half-time, Everton gave teenage striker Francis Jeffers his debut
   when he replaced Dave Watson.
   
   United picked up where they left off after the interval and Solskjaer
   wasted a glorious chance to make it 3-0 after 51 minutes.
   
   The Norwegian broke free of Craig Short and was through with just
   Myhre to beat, but he blazed wide of the goal.
   
   But for Myhre Everton could have been even deeper in the mire and he
   produced another fine save, this time to deny Beckham.
   
   The visitors could not stop the flow of one-way traffic towards their
   goal and Myhre caught Butt's overhead kick in the 63rd minute.
   
   A minute later Carl Tiler mishit the ball and let in Beckham who fired
   into the side netting.
   
   Midway through the half Everton brought Graham Allen on for the
   transfer-listed Barrett, while Karel Poborksy replaced the
   highly-impressive Beckham.
   
   The pressure on the visitors' goal eventually began to slacken and on
   74 minutes Brian McClair came on for Pallister.
   
   Claus Thomsen came on 11 minutes from time to boos from the Everton
   fans to make his first appearance since the opening day of the season.
   
   Allen and Poborsky were then booked for diving by referee Uriah
   Rennie.
   
   John Curtis was given a taste of the action seven minutes from time
   when he replaced Phil Neville as the game petered out towards the
   final whistle.
   
   Everton remain next to bottom of the league and to add to the
   Merseysiders' misery, Barnsley drew to move within two points of them.
   
   Man United: Pilkington, G. Neville, Johnsen, Pallister (McClair, 74),
   Beckham (Poborsky, 66), Butt, Cole, P. Neville (Curtis, 83), Scholes,
   Solskjaer, Berg.
   Subs not used: Sheringham, Giggs.
   Booked: G. Neville, Cole, Poborsky.
   
   Everton: Myhre, Barrett (Allen, 65), Short, Hinchcliffe, Tiler, Watson
   (Jeffers, 45), Ball (Thomsen, 78), Oster, Farrelly, Barmby,
   Cadamarteri.
   Subs not used: Gerrard, Thomas.
   Booked: Farrelly, Allen.
   
   Attendance: 55,167.
   Referee: U D Rennie (Sheffield).


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