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Electronic Telegraph
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United caught cold
By Steve Curry | |
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Sheff Wed (1) 2 Man Utd (0) 0 IT MAY not yet persuade the bookmakers to re-open trading on Manchester United winning the Premiership, but those whose money is elsewhere will have walked with a new spring in their step last night. Peter Atherton's powerful header on the run in the 28th minute and a late spectacular overhead kick from Paulo Di Canio an hour later, decided this trans-Pennine contest. Perhaps the weekend after a European quarter-final with a team depleted by injury was the right time to meet United, for they looked mentally as much as physically tired. Yet United, after staying over in Monte Carlo to take in a few hours' sunshine on Thursday, were as ready as they could have been for this game. The hectic schedule, however, had taken its toll. Peter Schmeichel, Denis Irwin, Gary Pallister and Ryan Giggs, plus the long-term injured Roy Keane were all absentees when United crossed the Pennines. After a run of 19 consecutive games, Petter Rudi was absent through injury and Graham Hyde began a two-match suspension, but Andy Booth was back after injury and Dejan Stefanovic was drafted into Wednesday's side. With Schmeichel out with a calf injury Alex Ferguson called on Gary Neville to skipper United for the first time, a proud moment for a model professional and, no doubt, the first step wowards him captaining his country. Henning Berg took the place of the injured Denis Irwin at left back and Ole Gunnar Solksjaer was played with Paul Scholes stepping down to the bench after his efforts at Monaco. After the cobbled pitch in Monaco there was a better opportunity for United to play their passing football and a flowing move from Phil Neville to Beckham and across to Solksjaer should have produced the first goal, Kevin Pressman making a fine, close range, reaction save. Wednesday's threat came on the break when Di Canio sprinted in from the right and squared the ball unselfishly for Mark Pembridge to volley it strongly but wide. But they took their lead from a set-piece, a Pembridge short corner on the left being superbly crossed by Benito Carbone for Atherton to steam in with the most powerful of headers inside the six-yard box. Paul Scholes replaced Ronny Johnsen at half-time, a positive move by Ferguson, and it almost produced instant results, his first shot thundering against the Wednesday crossbar. Pembridge, who had been showing signs of discomfort towards the end of the first half, gave way early in the second for Guy Whittingham, but it was Di Canio who almost increased Wednesday's lead. He got a clear run down the inside-left channel and might have been expected to score but Van Der Gouw stood his ground to make a fine save. United ought to have equalised midway through the second half when Berg headed a corner back across the penalty area but Scholes, from a good position on the edge of the six-yard box, managed to lift his shot over the bar. With United pressing for the equaliser, Di Canio made the game safe. He and his Italian compatriot Carbone exchanged passes on the break and when the final ball came in Di Canio got his 13th goal of the season with an overhead kick in the 88th minute. _________________________________________________________________ Sheff Wed (1) 2 Man Utd (0) 0 Atherton 26, Di Canio 88. Sheff Wed: Pressman, Atherton, Pembridge (Whittingham 49), Newsome, Walker, Carbone, Booth, Di Canio (Oakes 89), Stefanovic, Hinchcliffe, Barrett. Subs Not Used: Clarke, Nicol, Mayrleb. Booked: Barrett. Man Utd: Van Der Gouw, G. Neville, May, Johnsen (Scholes 45), Beckham, Butt, Cole (McClair 77), Sheringham, P. Neville (Curtis 60), Solskjaer, Berg. Subs Not Used: Thornley, Pilkington. Booked: May. Att: 39,427 Ref: P Jones (Loughborough). _________________________________________________________________ March 8 1998 FOOTBALL Wednesday outwit the champions Louise Taylor at Hillsborough Sheffield Wednesday 2 Manchester United 0 PLEASING width, Italian wit and, ultimately, sheer willpower propelled Wednesday to a win which should help de-bunk whispers about certain Hillsborough players suffering from debilitating attitude problems. By contrast United suffered from a lack of wide men, not to mention individuals to rival the flicking, tricking, back-heeling audacity of Benito Carbone and Paolo Di Canio. Perhaps Alex Ferguson's charges had simply taken too much heed of Ron Atkinson's programme notes, in which Wednesday's manager declared United "have already won the League at a canter". He may be proved right, but here the Mancunians had several uncharacteristically laissez-faire moments, often leaving themselves frequently undermanned in essential areas. United were unfortunate to be facing Atkinson, who revels in discomfiting his former employers, along with a home team fresh from a good old-fashioned managerial rollicking following last week's 3-0 reverse at Derby. Atkinson called that debacle "possibly the worst performance by any team I've managed" and the midweek rumour mill suggested he appeared poised to recruit David James from Liverpool. Suitably affronted, Kevin Pressman, the present Hillsborough goalkeeper, responded with an exceptional 17th-minute save from Ole Gunnar Solskjaer. Wednesday were wrong-footed by a classic United counter-attack and David Beckham delivered a far-post cross from the right. Solskjaer's ensuing shot looked unstoppable until Pressman, who had stayed on his line, diverted it for a corner. He could possibly do with losing a few pounds but Wednesday boast an excellent keeper. Ditto United - except that here, Peter Schmeichel was absent injured and replaced by Raimond Van Der Gouw. If Pressman was right in refusing to leave his line as Solskjaer closed in, Van Der Gouw erred in failing to come out and challenge for Carbone's 26th-minute cross following a Andy Hinchcliffe's short corner and a grateful Peter Atherton headed Wednesday in front. Atherton, one of four centre-halves in the Wednesday side, was operating alongside Dejan Stefanovic, another exiled stopper, in central midfield. This duo's abrasive instincts not only ensured that much of United's passing was less adhesive than usual but gave Carbone and Mark Pembridge licence to persistently stretch the visitors down the flanks. Ferguson, lacking the injured Ryan Giggs, Gary Pallister and Denis Irwin and having opted to let Paul Scholes rest on the bench, had indulged in a spot of positional rotation, deploying Henning Berg at left-back, Phil Neville in central midfield and Solskjaer on the left wing. The trouble with this game plan was that the latter's overwhelming instinct is to drift inwards, frequently depriving his team of genuine width. With Beckham, too, clearly pining for much more central involvement United were failing to dispatch the sort of crosses required to fully extend Des Walker and Jon Newsome. Maybe talk of Keith Gillespie returning to Old Trafford is not so fanciful. It was no surprise that Ferguson - who attributed this latest blip to a combination of injures, post-Monaco fatigue and another heavy pitch - put Scholes on at half-time in central midfield. A natural goal-scorer like Scholes can seem wasted when deployed so deep but his defensive duties failed to prevent him from quickly threatening the Wednesday goal. This time Andy Cole - otherwise excellently policed throughout by Walker - crossed and Scholes brought another splendid reflex save from Pressman. Further forward, Stefanovic and Di Canio both struck the woodwork as Atkinson's charges showed the appealingly positive side of an undisputably chameleon nature. Comfirmation arrived in the 88th minute, courtesy of a goal from south Yorkshire's Italian conncection. Carbone crossed, Guy Whittingham headed on and Di Canio scored with a startling overhead kick. Width, wit and will had deservedly won the day. Sheff Wed: Pressman, Atherton, Pembridge (Whittingham 49), Newsome, Walker, Carbone, Booth, Di Canio (Oakes 89), Stefanovic, Hinchcliffe, Barrett. Unused: Clarke, Nicol, Mayrleb. Scorers: Atherton 26, Di Canio 88. Man Utd: Van Der Gouw, G Neville, May, Johnsen (Scholes 45), Beckham, Butt, Cole (McClair 77), Sheringham, P. Neville (Curtis 60), Solskjaer, Berg. Unused: Thornley, Pilkington. Booked: Barrett (62min), May (81min). Referee: P Jones (Loughborough). Attendance: 39,427. Copyright 1998 The Times Newspapers Limited. |
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