Copy from
Electronic Telegraph


Sunday 2nd November 1997
Issue 892


Merciless United a class apart
By Patrick Barclay at Old Trafford


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          Man Utd (4) 6 Sheff Wed (0) 1
          
          IN HIS programme notes, Alex Ferguson confessed he was
          not sure whether his Manchester United players had been "taking
          the micky" out of him last weekend. "I'd no sooner said it was
          not in their nature to kill teams off than they promptly hit
          Barnsley for seven!"
          
          Whatever the truth, they were in the same mood yesterday, six
          goals against more experienced Premiership visitors from South
          Yorkshire continuing to enhance the view that Ferguson's
          champions are in a class apart. The match was again all over
          well before half-time, and ended with a pair each for Andy
          Cole, Teddy Sheringham and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer.
          
          Cole's record for the League season now stands at seven goals
          in eight appearances, and the fact that two of those were as a
          substitute emphasises how the £7 million striker has taken his
          latest chance fully to settle at Old Trafford. He also hit the
          bar in going for a second hat-trick in consecutive matches.
          
          On this occasion United's defences were breached - by Guy
          Whittingham - but it was the most encouraging preparation for
          their visit to Rotterdam on Wednesday. Their form before
          previous Champions' League assignments had been patchy. Yet
          this was a thoroughly assured display. Their football seemed
          instinctive as the woes of Wednesday's manager, David Pleat,
          deepened.
          
          Pleat pointed out beforehand that in nearly a quarter of a
          century of management, seldom with the most fashionable of
          clubs, he has been relegated only once. There have been narrow
          escapes, and his presence in Manchester was a reminder that the
          most memorable took place at Maine Road in 1983 when Raddy
          Antic sent City down instead, prompting Pleat's famous dance.
          
          He is a capable manager, and any club struggling with him in
          charge have the consolation of knowing that things would be
          unlikely to improve were they to make a change. Too many
          injuries constitute a plausible reason for Wednesday's plight,
          even if Pleat finds it tiresome to trot out a familiar excuse.
          
          He came over a bit disillusioned in some of yesterday's
          interviews, but that is normal; if you ever read that Pleat
          thinks everything in the garden is lovely, you will know he has
          been misquoted. At any rate, he came here with a brave face,
          stressing that Wednesday should feel no fear, and they
          certainly wasted little time in pushing forward, using Paolo Di
          Canio and the Norwegian newcomer Petter Rudi to stretch the
          home defence across the width of Old Trafford.
          
          Di Canio failed to make the most of an opportunity afforded by
          Rudi's whipped cross, which Peter Schmeichel could only palm
          out, and we shall never know what might have happened had the
          Italian done better.
          
          Ferguson had apparently decided, after last week's victory over
          Barnsley, to be less negative. Sheringham, rested last
          Saturday, slotted in behind Cole and Solskjaer and, though we
          had to wait to judge the play, it turned out to bear
          extraordinarily plentiful fruit.
          
          First Sheringham broke, played the ball left to Solskjaer, and
          struck the return from just outside the penalty area with such
          promptness that Kevin Pressman was surprised. It was superb
          shot, taken with the minimum of backlift, a masterpiece of
          timing and enterprise. But a suspicion lingered that the
          goalkeeper should have had it.
          
          The second goal did even less for Pressman's dignity, though he
          could scarcely be blamed for such a freak. Sheringham, in
          trying to complete a one-two with Cole, found the defender Des
          Walker, whose attempted clearance cannoned off his colleague
          Mark Pembridge and then Cole before squirming under Pressman.
          
          United scored two more in as many minutes before the interval,
          Cole heading home a deflected cross from David Beckham and
          Solskjaer taking advantage of his partner's disruptive leap to
          chest the ball down and hook it across Pressman into the net.
          
          For the second half Pleat took off his two Italians,
          Wednesday's leading scorers, and sought to limit the damage by
          putting Steve Nicol in front of the back four, presumably in
          the hope of dealing with Sheringham's constant menace. The
          other substitute, Ritchie Humphreys, was the lone spearhead.
          
          Perversely Wednesday proceeded to sweep forward as in the early
          stages of the first half, piecing together a fine move that
          culminated in Jim Magilton's short cross from the left narrowly
          eluding Whittingham at the far post. This, plus a firm header
          from Humphreys that Schmeichel did well to deny, stilled the
          chants of "Pleat out" which had come from the travelling
          support.
          
          The pattern, however, was unchanged. United were merely taking
          a breather. As soon as they resumed the offensive, Cole jinked
          and thumped the ball against Pressman's crossbar, preparing the
          home fans' lungs for more exercise; soon they roared acclaim
          for the fifth, a diving header by Sheringham from Beckham's
          cross.
          
          This time, however, there was to be no clean sheet, and few
          grudged Wednesday the goal that came their way when the
          impressive Rudi led a break-out, feeding Humphreys, whose neat
          through pass put Whittingham behind the home defence.
          Schmeichel came out and seemed to have blocked the Wednesday
          man but the ball ran free and Whittingham rolled it home.
          __________________________________________________________
          
          Man Utd (4) 6 Sheff Wed (0) 1
          Cole 20, 38, Sheringham 13, 63, Solskjaer 41, 75; Whittingham
          69.

          Man Utd: Schmeichel, G. Neville, Pallister, Beckham, Butt
          (McClair 75), Cole, Sheringham, P. Neville, Scholes (Poborsky
          55), Solskjaer, Berg (Curtis 75). Subs Not Used: Van Der Gouw,
          Mulryne. Booked: Pallister.

          Sheff Wed: Pressman, Nolan, Pembridge, Newsome, Walker,
          Whittingham, Collins (Poric 75), Magilton, Rudi, Carbone (Nicol
          45), Di Canio (Humphreys 45). Subs Not Used: Grobbelaar,
          Blondeau.

          Att: 55,259
          Ref: G R Ashby (Worcester).
          __________________________________________________________

Man United v Sheff Weds 01/11/97

Man United  (4)   6 - 1    Sheffield Wednesday   (0)
Sheringham 13,63           Whittingham 69
Cole 20,38
Solskjaer 41,75

Only six! But it could have been so many more, as United ran riot at
Old Trafford for the second time in a week.

It was all so easy for Alex Ferguson's side, with Andy Cole picking the
perfect moment to stake his England claims to Glenn Hoddle's assistant
John Gorman as wretched Wednesday were put to the sword.

Cole could not quite repeat the hat-trick heroics that helped hit
Barnsley for seven last week. Yet as United toyed with David Pleat's
side in almost cruel fashion he showed movement, technique, and the
exuberance of his Newcastle days as the champions rammed out another
goal-laden warning to the pretenders to their crown.

Cole, Teddy Sheringham and Ole Solskjaer all claimed two with only
ill-luck and the ease of the victory preventing United at least
matching last week's goal glut. It was just what Manager of the Month
Ferguson would have wanted ahead of Wednesday's Champions' League trip
to Feyenoord, United's dominance utter and complete even if they did as
little as they had to.

But for Pleat there seems little hope of survival after a hammering to
go alongside the seven conceded at Blackburn and the five scored by
Derby and which left them bottom of the league. The travelling
Hillsborough band might have been playing the last post for the
manager, whose side lacked any semblance of fight once they decided it
was not to be. And the less than wanted mantle of the worst Premiership
team in South Yorkshire looks as if it will be contested right down to
the wire next May, so appalling were the visitors.

Wednesday's surrender was abject and pitiful, all the more so after
they actually started the brighter, with Norwegian Petter Rudi probing
effectively. It needed an important block by Gary Neville, back on the
right as Henning Berg returned, to prevent Paolo Di Canio firing home
in the fifth minute as the absence of Ryan Giggs - presumably rested in
advance of the midweek trip to Feyenoord - left United without real
width on the left.

But once Sheringham had struck with the champions' first real attack in
the 13th minute, his first-timer from 20 yards going right through the
unhappy Kevin Pressman, the question was one of how many Ferguson's side
would get.

The second was not long delayed, although to describe it as scrappy
would be overly-generous. Solskjaer played in to Cole, who worked a
give and go with Sheringham inside the box, but was crowded out. Danger
over, it seemed. Wednesday, though, are becoming masters of shooting
themselves in the foot, and so it proved again. Des Walker's attempted
clearance struck Mark Pembridge and bounced back off Cole's thigh, and
again right through the Wednesday keeper. Lucky Cole, perhaps, although
that fortune evened-out as the match wore on.

Wednesday were feeling sorry for themselves, although if Peter
Schmeichel had not kept out Benito Carbone's volley soon afterwards it
might have been different. He did, and it wasn't, United winning
exactly how they wanted to, rarely stepping out of second gear but
still far too good. Two more goals in the space of three minutes just
before the break ensured it would be a cakewalk after the break.

The first was quality, Cole steaming in to plant the firmest of diving
headers into the back of the net - for his eighth of the season - when
David Beckham's centre took the slightest of deflections off Rudi.

Sheringham squandered another opening seconds later, but it was just
delaying the inevitable, which came when Gary Neville pumped forward
from deep. Cole flicked on, Solskjaer swivelled and his emphatic finish
meant the Reds had matched their first half haul against Barnsley a
week ago.

Change was essential for Wednesday, although Pleat's decision to take
off his Italians for Ritchie Humphreys and Steve Nicol brought calls
for the manager's head from the visiting fans. It did have the desired
effect, although much of the reason for that was surely because United
were now on auto-pilot.

Even so, Guy Whittingham appeared unlucky not to get a penalty as Phil
Neville's push prevented him getting to Jim Magilton's cross. Then Gary
Neville's came to the rescue of Schmeichel, hacking off the line as
Humphreys moved to convert the rebound from his own header.

Not that it mattered overly, Ferguson withdrawing Scholes early to give
Karel Poborsky a taste of the action as United did exactly what they
wanted.

Cole, however, was still hungry for more, desperately unlucky to see his
thumping shot crash back off the bar after he had controlled Beckham's
centre expertly to create his own opening.

And when Wednesday decided marking Sheringham from Beckham's 63rd minute
free-kick was an unneccessary extravagance, he made them pay, diving in
to steer his header past poor Pressman from close range.

The United players seemed desperate to set Cole up for a second
successive three-timer, although it was Wednesday who got the next,
Whittingham rolling home the loose ball after Schmeichel had failed to
gather Humphreys' pass.

That Cole third did nearly come in the 71st minute, the striker inches
wide after the Wednesday defence had criminally stood off him, and when
Solskjaer was given time and space to curl home he did exactly that.

It was more than enough, although other chances came and went before the
end. The gulf between top and bottom has never been wider.

Man United: (4-3-1-2) Schmeichel, G. Neville, Pallister, Beckham, Butt
(McClair, 75), Cole, Sheringham, P. Neville, Scholes (Poborsky, 55),
Solskjaer, Berg (Curtis, 75).
Subs not used: Van Der Gouw, Mulryne.
Booked: Pallister.

Sheff Weds: (4-4-2) Pressman, Nolan, Pembridge, Newsome, Walker,
Whittingham, Collins (Poric, 75), Magilton, Rudi, Carbone (Nicol, 45), Di
Canio (Humphreys, 45).
Subs not used: Grobbelaar, Blondeau.

Attendance: 55,259.
Referee: G R Ashby (Worcester).
      _______________________________________________________________

Joe Lovejoy at Old Trafford

Manchester United 6 Sheffield Wednesday 1

THIRTEEN goals in two games. The plan was for United to tick over in the
championship until the Champions League was done with, then to give it the gun
and make up any ground lost in the title race. Heaven help the rest when Europe
is not their priority.

For the first time, Alex Ferguson deployed the full panoply of his strikeforce,
and with Teddy Sheringham, Andy Cole and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer all scoring
twice, well supported by Paul Scholes, United won much as they pleased against
opponents who are now bottom of the table, with a haunted, relegation look
about them.

In contrast, the champions have hit an irresistible vein of form, their
confidence stratospheric in the run-up to Wednesday's European date with
Feyenoord in Rotterdam. Ferguson's Cheshire cat beam at the end said it all:
Catch us if you can. And that was before he had even heard the Arsenal result
at Derby.

"I said a couple of weeks ago that we were playing well but not killing teams
off," he mused. "That's what has changed. Having said that, we should have had
more. All three strikers could, and should, have had hat-tricks."

At the opposite end of the managerial spectrum, poor David Pleat was mortified.
Thoughtful and imaginative, he has long been one of the game's better
influences, but he is going to need all his experience and ingenuity to pull
this one out of the fire. He may not get the chance. "Pleat out" was heard loud
and clear at the end, along with the sardonic "We are bottom of the League,"
and his board's patience is said to be gossamer thin.

"I'm taking a battering at the moment," Pleat said. "You have to keep your head
up, but it's not getting any easier."

The form in which the two sides approached the game was such that it was always
going to be a test for that old chestnut about the strength of English football
being the ability of teams at the bottom to compete with those at the top. Pull
the other one.

United were again without David May and Ronny Johnsen, and Denis Irwin was
missing with the thigh strain he sustained on World Cup duty, but Henning Berg
was back to partner Gary Pallister in central defence. Up ahead, Ryan Giggs was
not needed, and could afford to rest a troublesome thigh, with Feyenoord in
mind.

Having feasted on seven goals against Barnsley a week earlier, the crowd licked
their lips in anticipation. They were not to be disappointed.

The way Wednesday have shipped goals this season suggested attack was their
best form of defence, and their hope was that the pace and dexterity of Benito
Carbone and Paolo Di Canio might embarrass Pallister on the ground. There was
some early promise, when Di Canio fired over, but Plan A was to fail so
dismally that both Italians were withdrawn at half-time. Pallister, on his
400th appearance, was untroubled.

After a bright, enterprising start, Wednesday's foundations were undermined
after 14 minutes, when Solskjaer's pass found Sheringham on the edge of the
penalty area and the England striker surprised Kevin Pressman by taking his
shot early. His clever, clipped strike, executed with negligible backlift,
skidded into the bottom right corner of the startled keeper's net.

Wednesday were removed from contention after 21 minutes, after some maladroit,
pinball defending. Sheringham's return pass failed to find Cole, but in
attempting to cut it out Des Walker drove the ball into Mark Pembridge, from
where another ricochet off Cole took it under Pressman's dive.

Scholes, shooting hurriedly when well-placed, should have improved United's
advantage, instead leaving it to Cole and Solskjaer to do so before an interval
which found Wednesday in familiar territory. Total disarray. The third goal saw
Cole run in unattended to head in David Beckham's right-wing cross, the fourth
was set up by Gary Neville's ball into the middle which carried over Cole
before bouncing for Solskjaer to hook it home from 12 yards.

It was clearly a damage limitation exercise when Wednesday withdrew Carbone and
Di Canio, at half-time. They had some small encouragement when Jim Magilton
drove to the byline on the left and put over a testing cross which Guy
Whittingham, diving, narrowly failed to nod in at the far post. The game,
though, was long since over as a contest, and it could easily have been 5-0
when Cole thrashed a left-footed shot against Pressman's crossbar.

It was five after 63 minutes, when Beckham flighted in a lovely centre from the
right and Sheringham plunged in to score with his head, some two yards in from
the far post.

Wednesday had some tiny, statistical consolation when the persistent
Whittingham won a tussle for possession with Peter Schmeichel to score, but
United quickly reasserted themselves. Solskjaer supplied the sixth, curled in
with delicious expertise from Beckham's tasty pass.

On this form, and on the evidence of yesterday's results elsewhere, United are
in a class of their own.

Manchester United: Schmeichel, G Neville, Pallister, Berg (Curtis 76min), P
Neville, Beckham, Butt (McClair 76min), Scholes (Poborsky 57min), Solskjaer,
Cole, Sheringham. Goalscorers: Sheringham 13, 63, Cole 20, 38, Solskjaer 41,
75.

Sheffield Wednesday: Pressman, Nolan, Pembridge, Newsome, Walker, Magilton,
Collins (Poric 76min), Rudi, Whittingham, Carbone (Humphreys 46min), Di Canio
(Nicol 46min). Goalscorer: Whittingham 69
Booked: Pallister (24min).

Weather: damp. Ground: yielding.
Referee: G Ashby (Worcester).

Copyright 1997 The Times Newspapers Limited. 
      _______________________________________________________________

Manchester United v Sheffield Wednesday
By Martin Lipton,  PA Sport Chief Soccer Correspondent

United's goal glut continued as hapless Wednesday were caned for four in
the opening 45 minutes.

Alex Ferguson's team had hit Barnsley for seven last week and the way they
carved David Pleat's side open as they wanted hinted at a similar scoreline
today.

The champions were helped by two early blunders by keeper Kevin Pressman
that gave Teddy Sheringham the opener from United's first attack and then
allowed Andy Cole to claim his seventh of the season as he charged down an
attempted clearance.

But there was nothing Pressman could do as Cole struck again seven minutes
before the break with Ole Solskjaer thumping home four minutes before the
interval to round off the sort of opening period Ferguson would have been
hoping for.

Ryan Giggs was a shock omission when Alex Ferguson unveiled his team for
the league leaders' clash with struggling Sheffield Wednesday.

The Welsh international winger did not even make the bench as Ferguson
named a team including all four of his strikers.

Andy Cole, fresh from his hat-trick against Barnsley last week, seemed
likely to partner Ole Solskjaer up front, with the recalled Teddy
Sheringham just behind them and Paul Scholes withdrawn into a midfield
role.

Henning Berg also returned, with youngster John Curtis stepping down as the
champions tried to maintain their place at the top of the table.

Wednesday, without a win at Old Trafford for 12 seasons, made just one
change from the side beaten at home by Crystal Palace last week.

Recent Norwegian signing Petter Rudi came into the team in place of groin
injury victim Lee Briscoe.

A contented Ferguson had basked in the adulation of the United faithful as
he received the October manager of the month award before the kick-off but
the smile might have been wiped off his face as Wednesday made the more
impressive opening.

The lanky figure of Rudi was particularly prominent as Pleat's team passed
the ball about well probing for openings.

Jim Magilton struck wide from 25 yards before Ian Nolan pressed up on the
right to find Rudi in space.

His cross was only touched by Peter Schmeichel to the feet of Paolo Di
Canio and it needed alert defending from Gary Neville to block the
Italian's shot.

Ferguson's concern was clear as he ordered Sheringham to spread further to
the left and attempt to cut off Nolan's right-sided advances, although
neither keeper was actually forced into a save in the opening exchanges.u

Mumbling and grumbling were the order of the day as the home supporters
hinted at their displeasure before United scored out of the blue from their
first real attack in the 13th minute.

Sheringham nodded down to Solskjaer and moved for the return ball from the
Norwegian.

Even when that arrived there did not seem much danger as Sheringham struck
first time on the half volley from 20 yards.

Sadly for Wednesday, however, Kevin Pressman is not having a season to
remember and, as he reacted too slowly moving to his right, the ball went
through him to finish in the back of the net.

The tempo of the game was altered instantly and it needed a desperate
header from Des Walker to prevent Cole converting Sheringham's centre after
he had combined with England colleague David Beckham.

Even at this stage it was beginning to look like a question of how many
United would score and the second duly arrived in the scrappiest of
fashions in the 20th minute

Phil Neville fed Solskjaer down the left and he played into Sheringham. His
touch found Cole but the striker seemed to have found himself in a
cul-de-sac with a wall of Wednesday shirts in front.

Cole had even lost possession but Jon Newsome attempted to hammer a
clearance away and watched in horror as it was blocked by Cole back towards
goal and once again through the arms of the woe-struck Wednesday keeper.

Pleat's side had to get back into the game quickly and almost managed it
five minutes later.

Gary Pallister was booked for a foul on Wayne Collins and with United
momentarily asleep Magilton's quick free-kick was met on the volley by
Benito Carbone with Schmeichel plunging to his left to hold.

United were barely out of second gear and yet they were a class above
Wednesday and looked as if they could score as frequently as they wanted
to.

Nicky Butt wasted one opportunity but the midfielder was involved as Cole
claimed his second of the afternoon seven minutes before the interval.

Butt spread right to Beckham, whose cross took a slight deflection off Mark
Pembridge.

But Cole was alive to the situation, drifting beyond his marker and then
diving in to head firmly past a helpless Pressman from eight yards.

Within a minute Sheringham should have made it four, Walker's intervention
deflecting the ball a fraction wide, but the fourth did come four minutes
before the break.

Beckham again was the provider, Cole got the faintest of touches and
Solskjaer swivelled to crash home right-footed across the keeper for his
second of the season.

HT Manchester United 4 Sheffield Wednesday 0

Pleat had to do something at the break although his decision to take off
both his Italians - Ritchie Humphreys and Steve Nicol coming on - brought
calls for his head from the travelling supporters.

United knew the game was won and the likelihood was that Ferguson had told
them to make sure they did not suffer any injuries in advance of the
midweek trip to Feyenoord.

Wednesday appeared to have legitimate claims for a penalty when Phil
Neville's shove from behind prevented Whittingham from diving in to convert
Magilton's left wing cross but even had they scored it would probably only
have provoked United to do even more.

With 55 minutes gone Ferguson made his first switch of the afternoon Karel
Poborsky coming on for Scholes who certainly showed no sign of problems as
he skipped away to the warmth of the dressing room.

Schmeichel had a lucky escape when he spilled a Humphreys header with Gary
Neville hacking off the line as the substitute raced in to prod home the
rebound.

And the incident woke United from their slumber as they pushed forward in
search of yet more.

Cole was desperately unlucky not to make it successive hat-tricks when he
controlled Beckham's cross and thumped against the underside of the bar in
the 62nd minute.

But within 60 seconds the fifth did come. Beckham delivered a free kick
from the right, Wednesday decided defending was an unnecessary extravagance
and Sheringham gratefully excepted the gift, stooping to divert a header
into the bottom corner.

Whittingham pulled one back for Wednesday in the 69th minute when the ball
rolled loose as he challenged Schmeichel for Humphrey's angled pass and
stroked almost apologetically into the open net.
      _______________________________________________________________

FERGIE'S SYMPATHY FOR PLEAT

   By Martin Lipton, PA Sport Chief Soccer Correspondent
   
   Alex Ferguson watched his champions hand woeful Sheffield Wednesday a
   comprehensive 6-1 thrashing but jumped to the defence of Hillsborough
   boss David Pleat.
   
   Chants of "Pleat out" rang from the travelling Wednesday fans as they
   exited Old Trafford tonight.
   
   But although Ferguson had seen his team toy with the Yorkshireman even
   more than they had done when whacking Barnsley for seven last week he
   took time out to declare his personal faith in his Hillsborough
   counterpart.
   
   "Throughout his career David Pleat has produced sides that always play
   the right way," said Ferguson.
   
   "When you consider the length of time he's been doing that he has to
   be given respect and he should be.
   
   "It's not easy for him. Today Wednesday were the better side for the
   first 20 minutes but then we scored an excellent goal from our first
   chance.
   
   "When that happens you can sense the other team saying to themselves
   'not another one' and it opened the floodgates really.
   
   "Even so I felt we were flattered to be four up at half-time.
   
   "Wednesday are going through a spell when it goes like that but I
   thought the execution of our goals were outstanding."
   
   Pleat stood up to the fire from the terraces as he promised he would
   not back away from the fight.
   
   "I won't walk away," declared the Wednesday boss.
   
   "I'm alright and I love the game too much not to be alright.
   
   "I know what were looking for and at the moment its elusive. We did go
   out without our chest out to play a bit but once we were three down so
   quickly it game us a massive psychological and physical problem.
   
   "But I thought we showed some desire out there even if we could of
   defend better."
   
   The call for Pleat's head has been growing and today's stuffing, which
   left them bottom of the league, means they have conceded 35 goals in
   13 premiership matches.
   
   Andy Cole, Teddy Sheringham and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer each grabbed two
   with Guy Whittingham's second half strike for Wednesday not even the
   most scant of consolations.
   
   Pleat conceded: "It doesn't get any easier but I have to be positive.
   
   "I know that we can do it and that I can do it and I will keep on
   doing it unless somebody says otherwise."
   
   United's win, coupled with Arsenal's reverse at Derby left Ferguson's
   team four points clear of the chasing pack.
   
   Pleat added: "They played some scintillating stuff at times and there
   playing on confidence now."
   
   And Ferguson admitted: "Sometimes you have these spells when
   everything you hit finds the back of the net and we're having one of
   them."
   
   "The good thing is that we've got players all over the pitch who can
   score goals and that's great to have."
   
   Ferguson gave Gary Pallister the captain's armband to mark his 400th
   start for the club and revealed that Ryan Giggs and Denis Irwin,
   rested after picking up slight niggles, should be fit for Wednesday's
   Champions League visit to Feyenoord
   
   © PA Sporting Life
      _______________________________________________________________
   
     Manchester United hit six to go clear
     
     (adds detail, quotes)
     By Mitch Phillips
     LONDON, Nov 1 (Reuters) - Manchester United took their tally to 13
     goals in two games on Saturday as they thrashed Sheffield Wednesday
     6-1.

     Title rivals Arsenal lost their first league game of the season,
     3-0 at Derby.

     The results left United four points clear at the top on 28 points.
     Arsenal have 24, along with Blackburn, who could only draw 1-1 at
     Barnsley.

     Chelsea move fourth on 22 after a 2-0 win at Aston Villa with
     Leicester fifth on goal difference after a last minute equaliser by
     John Beresford denied them a win at Newcastle.

     Manchester United have traditionally been out of sorts on the
     Saturday before a European Champions' League match but any hopes of
     an easy afternoon for David Pleat's beleaguered team disappeared
     when Teddy Sheringham put the hosts ahead after 13 minutes.

     The home fans could surely not have hoped for a repeat of the
     seven-goal drubbing handed to Barnsley last week -- but it was
     close.

     Wednesday goalkeeper Kevin Pressman had given away the opener and
     made another mistake to allow Andy Cole to claim the second.

     Cole, who hit a hat-trick last week, also scored the third and Ole
     Gunnar Solskjaer made it 4-0 by halftime.

     Sheringham claimed his second after the break as did the Norwegian
     with Guy Whittingham replying for Wednesday, who were left bottom.

     United manager Alex Ferguson says he now has a difficult job to
     pick a team for next week's trip to Feyenoord but could not have
     hoped for a better preparation.

     "We played very well," he said. "The team's maturing. they've
     learned something from last year and are playing very confidently.
     The finishing has been absolutely stunning."

     Arsenal's 12-game unbeaten start ended at Derby where in-form Costa
     Rican Paulo Wanchope grabbed another two goals.

     It could have been different if Ian Wright had not hit the bar with
     a first half penalty but Derby were worthy winners.

     Poor defending presented Wanchope with his goals and Dean Sturridge
     scored the third.

     It was the perfect way for Derby boss Arthur Cox to celebrate 25
     years in football management. "We didn't do so well in the first
     half but after we changed a few things I thought we thoroughly
     deserved it," he said.

     "Against Manchester United when we went 2-0 we went backwards but
     this time we kept going forward and got our reward."

     Robbie Fowler had an up and down day as Liverpool drew 1-1 at
     Bolton.

     The striker fired Liverpool ahead in the first minute but was sent
     off for striking Per Frandsen in the 75th.

     Bolton made their advantage pay when Nathan Blake headed the
     equaliser nine minutes later.

     Leicester and Newcastle were involved an all-action clash at St
     James' Park which had six goals and a sending off.

     John Barnes had Newcastle ahead with an early penalty but two
     headers from Ian Marshall put Leicester in front.

     Jon Dahl Tomasson notched his first goal for Newcastle after 12
     games but Matt Elliott had Leicester back in charge in the 54th
     minute.

     Beresford, who has scored several vital goals this season, headed
     the last-gasp equaliser but there was still time for Leicester's
     Emile Heskey to be sent off after a clash with Philippe Albert.

     Leeds produced a superb performance to win 1-0 at Tottenham, whose
     manager Gerry Francis must be a very worried man.

     Rod Wallace scored the only goal but Leeds were in control
     throughout.

     "It should have been four. It was a wonderful performance, we
     totally dominated," beamed Leeds manager George Graham, who
     selected teenage Australian striker Harry Kewell for particular
     praise.

     "He is going to be something special. I'll be telling Terry
     Venables that he could be sensational and should go to France (for
     the World Cup).

     Mark Hughes and Tore Andre Flo earned Chelsea the points at Aston
     Villa while Darren Huckerby and Dion Dublin gave Coventry a 2-1
     success at Wimbledon.
   
                           © Reuters Limited 1997


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