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Electronic Telegraph


Monday 5 January 1998
Issue 955


Chelsea crumble in face of inspired United onslaught
By Henry Winter


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          Chelsea (0) 3 Manchester Utd (3) 5
                
          AT the conclusion of this bewitching FA Cup third round
          tie, as the flood of goals and rain, tackles and bookings at
          last came to a breathless stop, Ruud Gullitt moved across to
          embrace Alex Ferguson. It was the first time Chelsea had got to
          grips with Manchester United all afternoon, writes Henry
          Winter.
          
          Forget the scoreline. Ignore Gullit's assertion that this was
          simply a two-goal defeat. This was a stinging in the rain by
          United, who counter-attacked with brutal effectiveness, running
          up five goals before Chelsea could find any semblance of team
          cohesion, of pride even.
          
          Gullit, his initial tactics flawed, had been out-thought by
          Ferguson. And not even the most one-eyed Chelsea follower could
          dispute that Gullit's players had been out-fought by Ferguson's
          until it was too late.
          
          The match was a collection of duels, match-ups across the pitch
          dominated by the men in red. Nicky Butt, again outstanding, and
          Paul Scholes were masters of midfield, dealing almost
          dismissively with Roberto Di Matteo and Mark Hughes, patently
          out of position.
          
          Hughes, captain for the day, deserved better than this
          fire-fighting assignment. Gullit would have done better to
          cover for Dennis Wise, suspended and terribly missed, with a
          natural ball-winner like Bernard Lambourde. And how Chelsea
          looked toothless in attack without Hughes. Tore Andre Flo
          resembled a sapling among giant redwoods.
          
          Chelsea did not trouble United until Flo departed, allowing
          Gianluca Vialli to bring his pace and trickery into play, the
          Italian scoring twice in the final eight minutes to make it
          5-3. Such a scoreline inevitably had the statisticians diving
          into their satchels to check the history books.
          
          This was United's seventh FA Cup victory out of eight over
          Chelsea, whose concession of five goals was their worst at home
          in this competition. United's reward for dimissing the holders
          was a straightforward-looking home draw against either
          Peterborough United or Walsall.
          
          Where United really hurt other teams, where they operate on a
          different plane to all the pretenders in England, is the
          relentless way they hound opponents into conceding possession.
          Whatever their fame, defensive or creative, Ferguson's players
          hunt in pairs or threes, one making the initial challenge while
          the others lurk like practised pickpockets. United's speed in
          possession make such a capacity even more potent.
          
          Butt characterises this tackling brio, often proving the lead
          man by launching into 40-60 situations, blind to any glinting
          studs. Unfussy in collection and careful in distribution, Butt
          is surely displaying the form that warrants England involvement
          against Chile on Feb 11.
          
          David Beckham and Andy Cole can also expect Wembley summonses
          such was their sustained excellence. How they relished
          yesterday's combat in a city they once called home.
          Appropriately, given weather that would have floated an ark,
          the goals started going in two by two, Beckham starting a brace
          race carried on by Cole.
          
          After a spell of concerted pressure by United, the ball moved
          wide and down the channels with accustomed ease, Beckham forced
          the breakthrough. Ryan Giggs, overshadowed only by Butt as man
          of the match, curled the ball forward to Cole, who held off
          Frank Leboeuf like a basketballer creating space. Support was
          swiftly in attendance, Cole delivering the ball to Teddy
          Sheringham and then Beckham, who beat Ed De Goey comfortably.
          
          Chelsea's Dutch keeper soon experienced again the power of
          Beckham's finishing. When Mark Nicholls panicked into fouling a
          flying Giggs, Beckham began addressing the 20-yard free-kick.
          Sheringham, unseen by the otherwise excellent Steve Lodge,
          opened up the wall by yanking Dan Petrescu clear. Beckham found
          the gap, the ball bending through and past De Goey.
          
          Chelsea at last showed some signs of life, Nicholls bringing a
          first save from Peter Schmeichel, who was subsequently relieved
          to see Petrescu head over, following a bustling run by Graeme
          Le Saux. United, dealing with such pinpricks as a lion does a
          fly, showed Chelsea the way with a classic counter-attacking
          strike as the half closed.
          
          Pallister, again displaying his undimming anticipation, dived
          in to steal possession, neatly flicking the ball out to Giggs.
          The rest was a blur of red, Giggs feeding Cole who charged down
          the inside-left corridor, using Sheringham as a decoy, before
          planting the ball powerfully past De Goey. Cue deepened
          delirium among the United support, who would have raised the
          West Stand roof if the builders had not beaten them to it.
          
          Chelsea had some team restructuring to do. Andy Myers came on
          at left-back, Steve Clarke moved into midfield, Le Saux pushed
          up, and, finally, Hughes was allowed to play the Welsh dragon
          again, breathing fire in attack and providing a welcome
          adhesive touch in the final third. Vialli soon replaced Flo and
          11 men went to work.
          
          Or so we thought. United love a challenge, took the re-jig as a
          compliment, and went on scoring. Cole added his second
          following a match-defining cameo between Butt and Clarke.
          Chelsea's Scotsman had just fouled Butt, who uncomplainingly
          bided his time and then went in with a real "no prisoners"
          challenge to muscle the ball from Clarke.
          
          Giggs, alert as ever, despatched another fast delivery through
          to Cole. A low finish, from left to right, carried Cole to 18
          goals, now ahead of John Hartson at the head of the elite's
          scorers. On came United again, the big red machine at full
          steam, their fifth arriving when Sheringham met Beckham's
          cross. Sheringham and Cole versus Chile? Club partnerships have
          worked for England in the past.
          
          United, home and dry but for shirts dampened by precipitation
          and perspiration, then took their eye off the ball, off the
          need for unstinting concentration. Three goals, all
          consolations, ensued. Le Saux struck a fine riposte, a chip
          placed between bar and Schmeichel, making it 5-1 with 13
          minutes left.
          
          Petrescu, increasingly influential, played in Vialli, whose
          right-footed shot thundered past Schmeichel. The excitement
          mounted when Vialli seized on Pallister's mistake and exchanged
          passes with Petrescu before completing the scoring.
          
          So Chelsea salvaged some late pride but their three goals may
          have more of an effect on United. Such aberrations will
          doubtless be used by Ferguson and Brian Kidd, the players
          themselves even, to maintain the desire that sets this team
          apart from the rest.
          __________________________________________________________
          
          Chelsea (0) 3 Man Utd (3) 5
          Le Saux 78, Vialli 83, 88; Beckham 23, 28, Cole 45, 65,
          Sheringham 74.

          Chelsea: De Goey, Petrescu, Clarke, Le Saux, Duberry, Leboeuf,
          Di Matteo, Nicholls (Myers 45), M. Hughes, Zola, Flo (Vialli
          61). Subs Not Used: Lambourde, P. Hughes, Hitchcock. Booked: M.
          Hughes, Nicholls, Di Matteo, Leboeuf, Le Saux.

          Man Utd: Schmeichel, Neville, Irwin, Johnsen, Pallister,
          Beckham, Butt, Scholes (Solskjaer 71), Giggs, Sheringham, Cole.
          Subs Not Used: McClair, Berg, Clegg, Pilkington. Booked: Irwin,
          Scholes, Sheringham.

          Att: 34,792
          Ref: S Lodge (Barnsley).
          __________________________________________________________

          Best still to come, says Ferguson
          By John Ley 
          
          THE good news, for the rest of the country at least, is that
          Manchester United have conceded six goals in two games. The bad
          news is that Alex Ferguson believes that the FA Cup favourites
          and Premiership leaders will get better.
          
          The remarkable 5-3 victory at Stamford Bridge was United's best
          away victory in the Cup since 1970 when they won a fifth-round
          tie 8-2 at Northampton. Chelsea, in contrast, became the first
          holders to lose in the third round since Arsenal were beaten by
          Wrexham four years ago.
          
          Ferguson said: "I don't think it was a bad thing to lose goals
          at the end because it can be easy sometimes to get carried
          away. We were serious today. The players were focused and,
          after losing at Coventry, they woke up."
          
          United return to Stamford Bridge for a Premiership fixture next
          month and Ferguson added: "It's a long season but I think we'll
          get better as it goes on in terms of being consistent, because
          that's what's needed to win the League and do well in Europe."
          
          Chelsea were missing both captain Dennis Wise and Frank
          Sinclair, and manager Ruud Gullit revealed that he was unable
          to field himself because he was ill.
          
          "I was sick in bed this morning and I wasn't going to come. I'm
          glad I did because I was pleased with the way we came back in
          the second half. We showed some character but before then we
          were too sloppy. But what we did in the second half after going
          5-0 down inspired me."
          __________________________________________________________

   January 5 1998 FOOTBALL
   
   Rampant United hit peak form to humiliate holders
   BY OLIVER HOLT, FOOTBALL CORRESPONDENT
   
   CHELSEA 3 MANCHESTER UNITED 5
   
   FA Cup LAST season, the romance of the FA Cup sustained Chelsea
   through winter and spring, from a stirring comeback against Liverpool
   to the grace and elegance of Roberto di Matteo's Wembley goal.
   Yesterday, that romance went the way of all things that have the
   misfortune to cross Manchester United's path these days: it was
   trampled underfoot, lost in the face of a display of withering power
   and excellence.
   
   The holders never really had a chance in their first defence of the
   trophy. Amid the squalls that howled around Stamford Bridge, United
   whirled into West London like a tornado that tears teams out of its
   way and leaves them like so many crumpled bits of wreckage in the
   scrapyards of English football, a land it has laid waste.
   
   Do not be fooled, either, by the damage-limitation exercise that
   Chelsea mounted in the last 13 minutes, when they clawed back three
   goals and a tiny bit of pride. That Chelsea began to hold their own
   when they were 5-0 down should be of scant consolation. It is easy to
   play well when there is nothing at stake. When it mattered, United
   were in their pomp, playing as well as they have done at any time in
   their blitzkrieg towards another title.
   
   They looked like a group of supermen. Nicky Butt was indestructible in
   the centre of midfield, running through tackles, humbling Mark Hughes
   and Di Matteo when they tried to contain him, punishing Steve Clarke
   when he tried a more physical approach. Alongside him, Paul Scholes
   was the model of creativity and swift, unforgiving incision. In the
   first half, Chelsea were overwhelmed.
   
   If Butt and Scholes softened Chelsea up, Andy Cole finished them off.
   His pace embarrassed Leboeuf and made the first goal for Beckham. His
   confidence, and the return of that supreme ruthlessness in finishing
   that many at the beginning of this season thought he had lost for
   ever, brought United their third and fourth goals and put the game
   formally out of reach. All the parts are working perfectly now. The
   machine is rolling on.
   
   Deprived of Dennis Wise, their most combative and consistent midfield
   player, because of suspension, Chelsea knew they were starting the
   third-round tie at a disadvantage. Ruud Gullit opted for a bold
   strategy to try to disguise the lack of depth in his squad, but
   playing Hughes as an orthodox midfield player behind the out-of-sorts
   Zola and Flo backfired horribly and left Di Matteo fighting a lone
   battle against the excellence of Scholes and Butt.
   
   Chelsea opened brightly enough, but their poise seemed to be
   undermined by the early hesitancy of De Goey, who, surely, is not the
   answer to their prolonged goalkeeping problems. The Dutchman survived
   two moments of uncertainty in the first ten minutes, a mix-up with
   Leboeuf and a hash of a punch at a corner, but they were only stays of
   execution.
   
   As Chelsea chased shadows, Hughes and Di Matteo sometimes getting
   close enough to hack Butt and Scholes down but more often not even
   managing that, it was inevitable that the crisp, flowing passing of
   United would bring its reward. Midway through the half, it came. Cole
   outpaced Leboeuf and took the ball to the byline. He turned and hit a
   deflected cross that Sheringham headed on and Beckham met at the back
   post to sidefoot past De Goey.
   
   Six minutes later, brilliant interplay between Scholes and Giggs
   resulted in Giggs being brought down by Nicholls on the edge of the
   box. As Sheringham dragged Petrescu out of the wall, Beckham curled
   his free kick into the space where the Romanian should have been and
   De Goey, scrambling to his left, could only push it feebly into the
   left-hand corner.
   
   Some supporters suggested that there was still time for Chelsea to
   rally, to overhaul United like they had overhauled Liverpool in the
   fourth round last January. This time was different. This was no
   fitful, fragile Liverpool team they were up against and, on the stroke
   of half-time, Cole picked up a pass from Giggs inside his own half,
   outpaced Leboeuf, ignored Sheringham and chipped his shot over De Goey
   from left to right.
   
   At half-time, Gullit took off Nicholls and pushed Hughes into attack
   and Clarke into midfield to try to stem the bleeding. It did not work.
   After Clarke had tried to intimidate Butt with a wild challenge, Butt
   won a juddering block tackle with him that left Giggs in possession.
   Giggs slid a pass through to Cole and he beat De Goey effortlessly
   again. It was his nineteenth goal of a prolific season, his
   seventeenth in 16 games.
   
   When Sheringham met a cross from Beckham at the near post and headed
   it firmly past De Goey in the 74th minute, it began to get
   embarrassing. The statisticians said it was going to be Chelsea's
   heaviest home defeat since 1913. At least they avoided that.
   
   A beautiful chip from Le Saux and two opportunist goals from Vialli,
   as United relaxed their grip, gave the home supporters something to
   cling on to. By that time, though, many of them had already streamed
   out of the exits.
   
   CHELSEA (4-4-2): E de Goey - S Clarke, F Leboeuf, M Duberry, G Le Saux
   - D Petrescu, M Hughes, R di Matteo, M Nicholls (sub: A Myers, 46min)
   - T A Flo (sub: G Vialli, 61), G Zola.
   
   MANCHESTER UNITED (4-4-2): P Schmeichel - G Neville, G Pallister, R
   Johnsen, D Irwin - D Beckham, P Scholes (sub: O G Solskjaer, 72), N
   Butt, R Giggs - E Sheringham, A Cole.
   
   Referee: S Lodge.

   Copyright 1997 The Times Newspapers Limited. 
   _________________________________________________________________

   January 5 1998 FOOTBALL
   
   Ferguson lines up jackpot on treble chance 
   BY OLIVER HOLT, FOOTBALL CORRESPONDENT
   
   FA Cup THERE was something cold and ominous about Alex Ferguson as he
   was urged to sift through the debris of Manchester United's 5-3
   demolition of Chelsea yesterday. Some of his words and their hints of
   humour brought hoots of admiring laughter from his listeners, but his
   message only underlined the relentless ruthlessness of his side's
   charge towards an unprecedented treble this season.
   
   As he looked ahead to United's burgeoning assault on the European Cup,
   the FA Carling Premiership and the FA Cup, the United manager gave the
   impression that the last of this trinity had become almost an
   irritation, not quite such a trifle as the Coca-Cola Cup but a
   secondary competition in which the opposition had to be killed off at
   the first attempt or not at all.
   
   He related the story of how he had told the United goalkeeper, Peter
   Schmeichel, that if the sides were still level when it got to within
   ten minutes of the end of their third-round tie at Stamford Bridge
   yesterday, he would tell him to play up front. As he sat back for a
   second, he seemed to be only half-joking. "No draws," he said. "We
   don't want any draws." There was never much danger of that as United
   raced into a 5-0 lead within 74 minutes.
   
   The reality for the rest of the Premiership and those who dare to take
   a pot-shot at the champions in the FA Cup is that they hold not the
   slightest fear for Ferguson and his team. It is clear that it is not
   other teams that worry him, far from it. He has identified the bugbear
   of fixture congestion as the only thing that can stand in the way of
   total domination.
   
   Anyone who witnessed United's performance in West London yesterday
   would be hard-pressed to disagree with him. His side seems to be
   maturing with every match. United are, patently, a class above any
   other team in the country. Those who have the temerity to challenge
   them are swatted away like flies.
   
   "It is a long season," Ferguson said, "but I think we will get better.
   We need to be consistent to win the Premier League and, if we are not,
   we will suffer. I played my maximum team today and it was a good
   performance. The defeat against Coventry was maybe a blessing in
   disguise. They knew they were slipshod that day and so they focused on
   the game today.
   
   "People are saying the priority is the European Cup and the league,
   and that is true, but when you get drawn against Chelsea, it produces
   anticipation in the players. I was a bit disappointed with the three
   goals we conceded at the end, but there may even be some meaning for
   us there, too, because we come back here on February 28."
   
   Even in the loss of three unanswered goals, something that would be a
   calamity in most other games for most other clubs, there was something
   positive for United, something that might stop them from sinking into
   a superiority complex before they return for that league match against
   Chelsea at the end of next month.
   
   Everything seems to be going their way. An hour after they had begun
   their journey home, Kevin Keegan pulled their name out of the plastic
   bowl for the fourth round of the FA Cup at home to either Peterborough
   United or Walsall. That prompted the bookmakers to install them as hot
   favourites to win the competition at 3-1. Ferguson is unlikely to have
   to brief Schmeichel about a striking role before that game.
   
   The tie that will attract most attention, though, is the match between
   Stevenage Borough, who are struggling in the lower half of the
   Vauxhall Conference, and Newcastle United, who edged past Everton 1-0
   yesterday courtesy of a predatory goal from Ian Rush, still breaking
   hearts on the ground where he caused so much despair in his Liverpool
   days.
   
   After the initial euphoria about the home draw for Stevenage, who beat
   Swindon Town at the County Ground on Saturday, wore off, the agonising
   began about where the game should be played. The traditional romance
   of the Cup dictates that it should take place at Stevenage's Broadhall
   Way; the new climate of commercial gain that has swept the game - and
   led to a furore when Stevenage switched their third-round tie with
   Birmingham City to St Andrew's last season - will probably take it to
   St James' Park, where much of the frisson will be lost. The recompense
   would be gate receipts of about £300,000.
   
   "I think, realistically, it will have to go to Newcastle," Paul
   Fairclough, the Stevenage manager, said. "We were a Football League
   facility when we drew Birmingham City, but it was because of the
   numbers who wanted to see the game that it was transferred." Victor
   Green, the club chairman, passed the buck to the police. "If the game
   goes to St James' Park, it will be entirely a decision taken by them,"
   he said.
   
   Kenny Dalglish, the Newcastle manager, refused to budge from his usual
   phlegmatic stance after the draw. "We'll settle for the same result we
   had against Everton today," he said of the Stevenage tie. "You can't
   be complacent. You have to give them respect because they deserve
   that. It would be tricky to go to their ground, but it would be tricky
   playing them at home, as West Ham found out against Emley yesterday."
   
   Elsewhere, Sheffield Wednesday will face Blackburn Rovers at
   Hillsborough if they win their replay against Watford, Coventry City
   will play Derby County and Crystal Palace will play Leicester City.
   With Liverpool, Bolton Wanderers, Southampton, Chelsea and Everton
   already out and at least three more Premiership clubs to follow in the
   next round, the task facing Manchester United is getting easier and
   easier. No draws, remember - United do not want any draws.

   Copyright 1997 The Times Newspapers Limited. 
   _________________________________________________________________

     Soccer showcase-United send Chelsea crashing out of Cup
     
     (Adds quotes, detail)
     By Mike Collett
     LONDON, Jan 4 (Reuters) - Manchester United ended Chelsea's brief
     reign as F.A. Cup holders by winning 5-3 in a dramatic,
     incident-filled third-round match at Stamford Bridge on Sunday.

     United, 5-0 up after 75 minutes, lost their concentration in the
     closing stages to allow Ruud Gullit's totally-outplayed side the
     unlikely chance of a comeback with three late goals.

     Although the final scoreline suggests a closely-fought match, in
     reality it was nothing of the sort, with United totally in control
     until the last few minutes of a blood-and-thunder encounter marked
     by eight bookings and played in wet and windy weather.

     "I don't know whether to talk about the start of the match first or
     the end," said a delighted United manager Alex Ferguson.

     "But until we got a little bit careless at the end it was a very
     good performance by us. In a way, losing to Coventry last week was
     a blessing in disguise for us -- it made us very focused today, we
     were very serious. We were not going to be intimidated or second
     best.

     "We didn't want to draw today -- I told Peter Schmeichel before the
     match if we were drawing with 10 minutes to go he had to go up
     front," he joked.

     "We threw it away ourselves," said manager Gullit. "We gave away
     sloppy goals and made it easy for them. At least we played with
     some pride in the second half."

     Chelsea were completely over-run in midfield where Gullit elected
     to start with Mark Hughes in place of the suspended Chelsea skipper
     Dennis Wise. The tactic misfired.

     Hughes, skipper for the day against his old club, was ineffective
     until he moved further upfield in the second half.

     Chelsea created nothing for Gianfraco Zola and Tore Andre Flo up
     front, and United, with Ryan Giggs, Paul Scholes and Nicky Butt
     rampant, totally dominated the midfield.

     United won with two goals from David Beckham, two from Andy Cole
     and one from Teddy Sheringham while two goals from substitute
     Gianluca Vialli and another from Graeme Le Saux gave the final
     scoreline a false look of respectability for the home team.

     "If I had known how well Gianluca was going to play when he came
     on, maybe I would have started with him, but I didn't really have
     any other options because players were out of form, or suspended or
     unfit," said Gullit ruefully afterwards.

     Beckham opened the scoring with a close-range shot after 23 minutes
     and added a second direct from a free kick five minutes later after
     Giggs was fouled by Steve Clarke.

     But Chelsea goalkeeper Ed de Goey was at fault for the goal: badly
     positioned at the free kick, he got a hand to the ball but could
     not stop it going over the line.

     Cole, in blistering form in recent weeks, made it 3-0 with a
     finely-angled shot into the far corner of the net on the stroke of
     halftime and made it 4-0 in the 66th minute after a Giggs
     through-ball split the Chelsea defence.

     That was Cole's 19th goal of the season and his 18th in the last 17
     matches and he took it superbly, giving De Goey no chance.

     But still United were not finished, sweeping forward at every
     opportunity, with Sheringham making it 5-0 after 75 minutes with a
     powerful header following a United corner.

     Thousands of Chelsea fans who had celebrated their F.A. Cup final
     victory over Middlesbrough so joyously last May, left the windswept
     ground at that point -- and so missed three more goals, all of them
     Chelsea's.

     Le Saux pulled one back with a cleverly-taken chip over goalkeeper
     Schmeichel with 12 minutes remaining, before Vialli added two more
     soon afterwards -- one with a shot that beat Schmeichel at his
     near-post and the second after a mistake by Gary Pallister.

     His poor pass back to Schmeichel was intercepted by Vialli and led
     to a comedy of errors in United's defence which ended after an
     exchange between Vialli and Dan Petrescu with Vialli scoring the
     third.

     Sunday's victory was United's third in the F.A. Cup over Chelsea in
     the last five seasons following wins in the 1994 final and the 1996
     semifinals.

     More ominously for their rivals, it also puts United on course for
     what could well be their third F.A. Cup and league double in five
     seasons, too.

                           © Reuters Limited 1997
     ____________________________________________________________________

   CHELSEA 3-5 MAN UTD 
   
   David Beckham and Andy Cole each scored twice as United
   humbled high-flying Chelsea in an FA Cup third round thriller at
   Stamford Bridge.
   
   United were coasting at 5-0 when substitute Gianluca Vialli inspired
   Chelsea to a frantic finale, but it was all too little too late,
   leaving Ruud Gullit's Cup holders comprehensiveley beaten in a
   one-sided match - at least it was for 77 minutes.
   
   The opener came in the 23rd minute. Ryan Giggs sent the Andy Cole on
   his way, and while he might have gone down under Frank Leboeuf's
   challenge, the striker kept his feet. The on-song striker then waited
   for support to arrive, and his cross was met with a slight deflection
   which spearheaded into the path of the on-coming Beckham who
   sidefooted past a helpless De Goey.
   
   United had to wait just five minutes for the second. Beckham's 25-yard
   right foot free-kick was bent low around the wall from the edge of the
   box, leaving de Goey struggling to get a hand on it, eventually
   helping the ball into the net.
   
   The goal sparked Chelsea into life forcing Peter Shmeichel, back from
   a bout of the flu, into his first save of the match. Dan Petrescu
   headed over from Graeme Le Saux before Mark Nicholls forced Schmeichel
   into a save.
   
   Just before the break a Chelsea attack broke up and Giggs sent Cole
   off on a run with the Chelsea defense in hot pursuit. Frank Leboeuf
   desperately tried to get back, but Cole sped away and as De Goey came
   off his line he clipped the ball past him.
   
   Rudd Gullit tried to change things for Chelsea in the second half,
   sending on Andy Myers for Nicholls, pushing Mark Hughes up front
   alongside Tore Andre Flo and throwing everything forward. Michael
   Duberry unleashed a 25-yarder which Schmeichel could not hold, Le
   Saux's return came back off the bar, and Gianfranco Zola's fierce
   drive was parried by United's great Dane.
   
   Vialli then came on for Flo, but before the Italian could have any
   influence on proceedings, Cole struck again. A superb first-time ball
   from Giggs sent Cole running free beyond Duberry and into the box
   before sliding past the keeper. Now it was becoming a humiliation,
   Sheringham adding insult to injury by steaming in to head home
   Beckham's cross with 16 minutes of torture still to go.
   
   The came a frantic last 13 minutes. Le Saux took advantage of a
   Beckham's error to clip a drop-shot arcing above Schmeichel and into
   the net. Vialli then added their second six minutes from time after he
   was found by Petrescu. Then the Italian got his second and Chelsea's
   third after a foul-up by Gary Pallister after a terrible back-pass.
   
   But it was too little, far too late, a crazy finish to a sensational
   game. Chelsea knew that the scoreline flattered them, so outclassed
   had they been when it mattered. Can anybody stop United? Alex Ferguson
   sent a chill through the heart of the rest of the Premiership after
   watching Manchester United demolish Chelsea by declaring: "We're going
   to get better." "We will get better as the season goes on," he said.
   "We know that we have to be consistent if we are going to win the
   league and that's what we will do."
   
   "People talk about priorities, look at us and say we're only
   interested in the Champions' League and the Premiership. "We are to a
   degree but when you draw Chelsea away from home in the FA Cup that
   generates a real feeling of anticipation, the thing that makes players
   show their true character."
   
   Ferguson knows just how well Andy Cole is playing at the moment.
   "Andy's lightning quick and is a threat to defenders all the time.
   "The thing about him is that he plays in the right areas. All he ever
   concentrates on is running towards goal. Some other players don't do
   that, run from the middle out wide but Andy always heads for the net."
   
   Skipper Peter Schmeichel admitted: "That has to be one of our best
   performances in English football though we did take our foot off the
   pedal towards the end."
   
   Ferguson was not too bothered with the lapses, adding: "Perhaps it
   would do us some good because otherwise we might have got carried away
   with the way we played."
 
   Official Manchester United Page
     ____________________________________________________________________

FERGIE VOWS BEST IS YET TO COME

   By Martin Lipton, PA Sport
   
   Alex Ferguson sent a chill through the heart of the rest of the
   Premiership after watching Manchester United demolish Chelsea by
   declaring: "We're going to get better."
   
   Ferguson's fearless side put Chelsea's glory pretensions in true
   perspective as they ran them ragged for 75 minutes of sheer magic.
   
   The game won - United had scored five through doubles from David
   Beckham and Andy Cole and a close range header from Teddy Sheringham -
   they took their foot off the pedal.
   
   That allowed Graeme Le Saux to chip home one consolation goal with
   substitute Luca Vialli getting two more in the dying minutes.
   
   But the bitter truth for Ruud Gullit's Blues was the true nature of
   the gulf in class between the champions - now surely red hot
   favourites for another double - and the pretenders to their crown.
   
   The Cup was ripped from Chelsea's grasp with another almost
   frightening display which was followed by Ferguson's stark warning
   that his men are only warming up for the second half of the campaign.
   
   "We will get better as the season goes on," he said. "We know that we
   have to be consistent if we are going to win the league and that's
   what we will do.
   
   "People talk about priorities, look at us and say we're only
   interested in the Champions' League and the Premiership.
   
   "We are to a degree but when you draw Chelsea away from home in the FA
   Cup that generates a real feeling of anticipation, the thing that
   makes players show their true character."
   
   Ferguson added: "I could sense in the dressing room that they were
   really ready for it, that they wanted to win. There was no doubt about
   that.
   
   "When you're coming to play a big club like Chelsea you want to give
   your best. That's when the natural instincts take over."
   
   While Beckham's goals - a sidefoot finish followed by a free-kick Ed
   De Goey should have saved - put United on their way, the difference
   between the teams was Cole.
   
   Uncontainable, bursting with pace and attacking intent, Chelsea simply
   did not know what to do with him and his two goals made it 17 in his
   last 16 appearances this season.
   
   The striker's only words were brief, admitting: "They were great goals
   for me. I was delighted for myself and the team."
   
   But Ferguson knows just how well the one-time £7million misfit is now
   playing.
   
   "Andy's lightning quick and is a threat to defenders all the time.
   
   "The thing about him is that he plays in the right areas. All he ever
   concentrates on is running towards goal. Some other players don't do
   that, run from the middle out wide but Andy always heads for the net."
   
   Gullit, more than disappointed with his own side's nightmare first 75
   minutes, agreed with that.
   
   "We gave away some sloppy goals, and too many of my players did not
   live up to their normal standards," said the Dutchman who revealed he
   had almost been too sick even to attend the game.
   
   "For two of their goals we got caught on the break and against Cole
   that is a real problem for you.
   
   "It gave him a yard and the space to run towards goal and when he's in
   the form he's in at the moment you just can't afford to give him that
   half a yard."
   
   Gullit tried to take consolation from the final score - "If it had
   been 5-0 I would have been really disappointed," he claimed - but the
   reality was that his side were outclassed.
   
   "It's a long time since I have been 5-0 down in any game and I didn't
   enjoy it. At least we showed some pride but it was far too late by the
   time we did."
   
   Gullit had gambled by putting skipper-for-the-day Mark Hughes in
   midfield at the start but with Nicky Butt commanding the middle of the
   park United's performance, until that late casualness, was masterful.
   
   Their skipper, Peter Schmeichel admitted: "That has to be one of our
   best performances in English football though we did take our foot off
   the pedal towards the end."
   
   Ferguson was not too bothered with the lapses, adding: "Perhaps it
   would do us some good because otherwise we might have got carried away
   with the way we played."
   
   Later in the day, Ian Rush caused more heartache for Everton as
   Newcastle ensured both Merseyside's Premiership sides were bundled out
   of the FA Cup.
   
   Just 24 hours after Liverpool had been knocked out by Coventry, their
   former striker scored the only goal in the live TV clash at Goodison
   Park.
   
   It was Rush's 43rd goal in the FA Cup and continued his jinx over thr
   Blues, who have seen him score four times against them in Wembley
   finals.
   
   He struck midway through the second half of a dull game after coming
   on as a substitute for Tino Asprilla. ,
   
   Another former Anfield favourite John Barnes saw his cross deflected
   across the face of goal and Rush was on hand to stab home from just a
   yard out.
   
   Wimbledon were held to a 0-0 draw by Division Two Cup battlers
   Wrexham.
   
   Hereford's FA Cup third round against Tranmere has become the latest
   victim of the weather.
   
   The Edgar Street pitch was deemed waterlogged on Sunday morning and
   the tie became the sixth third round clash to be postponed this
   weekend.
   
   © PA Sporting Life


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